Netherlands
Steve James: 'In the 80s, I can’t imagine anyone wanted a documentary-making career'
The American director perhaps best known for his 1994 film Hoop Dreams is in Amsterdam for the city’s international documentary film festival. We talk 'new media', starting out in the eighties and why an oscars snub doesn't matter when you've got good old Europe to fall back on
netherlands, cinema, brunch, documentary, culture, amsterdam, united states
International Documentary Film Festival: Amsterdam cinema’s leading lady
In Amsterdam, there are coffee shops, bicycles, Rembrandt and a port. But between the paintings and the pedals lies the IDFA, the largest documentary film event in the world and one of the biggest festivals in the world you’ve probably never heard of
netherlands, festivals, documentary, culture, amsterdam, culture calendar, film festival
How to make Polish potato pancakes
It’s cheap and available, warm and nourishing, omnipresent in most traditional European cuisines – but the starchy crop only hit the continent from South America as late as the 16th century
netherlands, italy, yum nyam, poland, potato, united kingdom, cooking
Europe's suicide tourism
Al Pacino put a damper on the atmosphere at the 50th Monte-Carlo television festival. In 'You don't know Jack' he interprets a doctor who is convicted several times for his practice of euthanasia. Soon to be released in France, Barry Levinson's film threatens to revive a debate which divides Europe, beginning wih the Netherlands, where the supporters of the 'Out of Free Will' initiative are campaigning for a 'right to die' for everyone over 70
netherlands, euthanasia, health, eugenics, public health, science, suicide
Cinema horror in Europe: happy yucky Halloween
In light of the ‘love-it-or-hate-it’ upcoming Halloween on 31 October, we propose three of Europe’s best horror movies at the moment from Serbia, France and Holland, with a running commentary from Franco Calandrini, director of the Ravenna nightmare film festival
netherlands, cinema, civil society, europe, culture, serbia, france
'Shooting galleries' in Europe: political jab or social cure-all?
Supervising the use of hard drugs or not is an issue that's cropping up across Europe, with some countries tackling it with a different intensity than others; the UK has three injecting clinics. While eight progressive governments have already established the centres, others wish to silence such crazy calls for change. All in the name of morality. Obviously...
netherlands, switzerland, italy, barcelona, health, norway, berlin
Interview with psychic Paul, the German octopus
A slew of tanned, ageing football commentators aside, he was the only one to correctly predict Spain's glory and Germany's shock defeat at the 2010 world cup. He's also an octopus, hatched in 2008, who lives at the Oberhausen aquarium in a North Rhine-Westphalia zoo. Three questions for the eight-armed prophet
netherlands, football, world cup, sport, interview, germany, animals
Spanish smacker: Netherlands beaten to world cup 2010
They were in the final three times, they lost three times - the Netherlands conceded the Fifa championship to La Roja, who won their first ever title on 11 July. The Spanish, Dutch, Czech and Swedish press urges politicians to learn from the harmonious play of the Spanish team: 'at least in football, Europe is on top'
netherlands, football, world cup, press review, sport, spain, southern africa
Uruguay vs Europe: what world cup identity?
28 countries out, four left. Uruguay aside, the football championship final will definitely feature either Germany or Spain, one of whom could be facing the Netherlands to contend for a title currently held by Italy. It's not about football anymore though – does this bridge a stronger European identity for those of us on the continent, supporters or not?
netherlands, football, european identity, world cup, italy, sport, identity
Porn, drugs and Domenech: a Eurovision of World Cup songs
As the World Cup moves into the next phase – sixteen of the best battle it out for the second round from 26 June – we follow the 2010-featuring European teams in song. Spain, Holland and Germany are EU favourites as runners-up on 11 July, with Brazil or Argentina to win, according to betting agencies
netherlands, football, world cup, italy, raymond domenech, sport, germany
Dutch elections: did Geert Wilders get the last laugh?
Italian, Dutch and Belgian commentators doubt that VVD leader Mark Rutte will be able to form a more stable government than his christian democratic predecessor Jan Peter Balkenende after elections on 9 June
netherlands, job cohen, geert wilders, euweek, elections, islamophobia, populism
Job Cohen: is this who The Netherlands needs as leader?
The moderate and highly popular Amsterdam mayor has revived the labour party, leading in polls before the 9 June elections. Will he be the wonder doctor for Dutch citizens´ worried minds and restore the country´s image in the world? Portrait of a future statesman
netherlands, labour, vote, europe, job cohen, amsterdam, geert wilders
The Netherlands, France, Italy: rise of Europe's right-wing
After Geert Wilders in Holland, the1 Le Pen family in France gained the votes at the regional elections on 14 March 2010, confirming the positive trend of extreme righ-wing at the old continent. Together with Italy's Lega Nord, these parties represent a practical example of new right populists who do not like to be labelled 'extremists'
netherlands, italy, right-wing, identity, jean-marie le pen, racism, front national
Fathoming the power of right-wing populist Geert Wilders in Europe
If the freedom party leader is successful in the June parliamentary elections, Dutch politics will be destabilised and Europe will be forced to deal seriously with the man once nicknamed 'Mozart', write the Dutch, Swiss, Spanish and Slovakian press
netherlands, vote, eurotopics, amsterdam, geert wilders, euweek, right wing extremism
Dutch government fails over Afghanistan
The grand coalition government in the Netherlands collapsed on the weekend after it was unable to reach a consensus on prolonging the operations in Afghanistan. The Spanish, Dutch and Belgian press write that although this won't prompt other states to withdraw their troops from the country, it may give the right-wing populists a boost in new Dutch elections
netherlands, eurotopics, afghanistan, geert wilders, euweek, war
More highs, fewer lies in Prague - the new Amsterdam?
15 grams of marijuana, five grams of hashish or even 1.5 grams of heroin. Thanks to a new law that came into effect on 1 January 2010, Czechs can stock up on drugs without fear of prosecution. The Czech Republic now has the most liberal drug laws in the whole of Europe, though its preventive measures still leave something to be desired
Copenhagen climate: what the EU is being asked to commit billions for
Confused by talk of CO2 concentration and parts per million? In the run up to Copenhagen, what is all the fuss about climate change?
netherlands, opinion, united nations, environmental protection, copenhagen, summit, environment
EU election results: France, Holland poor socialist performance
The EU elections between 4 and 7 June 2009 have revealed the high price of political opportunism in 2005, when they opposed the European constitution
netherlands, european elections 2009, martine aubry, pes, geert wilders, eudebate2009, right wing extremism
Europe has voted: so what's the trend?
From 4 - 7 June 2009 the citizens of the 27 EU member states cast their votes for a new European parliament. The voter turnout was relatively low, but the trends are clear to see. In many countries right-wing parties gained a larger share of the vote while national governments were punished. The press in Holland, Poland, Italy, Finland, Austria and Hungary speak
netherlands, italy, european elections 2009, hungary, poland, finland, geert wilders
