DOWNTOWN
A film by Michiel van Erp
Netherlands, 2026, 98′
v.o. italian subtitles
NATIONAL PREMIERE

Downtown, directed by Dutch filmmaker and writer Michiel van Erp, is a moving drama about friendship, love and the passage of time. Told across two interwoven timelines, the film follows three young gay friends who, in 1989, immerse themselves in Amsterdam’s hedonistic nightlife, surrounded by friendship, sex and drugs. Their carefree lives are abruptly disrupted by the rapid spread of HIV and its impact on the community, on relationships and on their own lives. Thirty years later, the three friends reunite during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their unexpected reunion gives them a chance to confront old desires and resentments, come to terms with the pain of the past, and try to repair their friendship.
Dates for this event:
Tickets
Full Price: €7.50
Under 30, Over 65, Culture Card holders, and Friends of the Film Archive: €5
Reduced Price for Unibo, Ababo, and Under 20: €4
3-Show Pass: €12
5-Show Pass: €20
TICKETS can be purchased:
– ONLINE at TicketSms.it
– IN PERSON at the Cassero LGBTQIA+ Center, 18 Via Don Minzoni, every day from October 29 to November 6, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
CINEMA PASSES can be pre-ordered from October 5 through November 4 by emailing biglietteria@genderbender.it. Passes can be picked up and paid for from October 29 through November 6 at the Cassero LGBTQIA+ Center at Via Don Minzoni 18 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The TICKET OFFICE at the Cassero LGBTQIA+ Center is open daily from October 29 to November 6 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
*Tickets cannot be purchased in person at the event venues.
For more details:
biglietteria@genderbender.it
Accessibility
Bio
Michiel van Erp is an award-winning director of feature films, television series, documentaries, and theatre productions. Born in Eindhoven in 1963, Van Erp graduated from the Technical University of Delft in 1988 with a degree in Industrial Design. Between 1988 and 1992, he worked as an actor before turning to directing in 1993. Over the course of his career, he has received a range of awards and nominations, including the Prix Europa, the Golden Calf, the Silver Nipkowschijf, and two Dutch Directors Guild Awards. Since 2004, van Erp has been co-owner of the production company De Familie Film & TV and Het Familie Drama together with producer Monique Busman.





