Cinema

DOWNTOWN

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

1 show for this event

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.

Accessibility

Presence of toilets
Accessible to people with limited mobility and wheelchair users

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.

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