#amsterdamcentrum — Public Fediverse posts

Svmerion (MEX) + How To Disappear (MEX) + Nebelstørm (NL)

The Cave, Friday, September 11 at 09:00 PM GMT+2

Svmerion (MEX)

Fri September 11, 2026 starts at 23:00

Hailing from Gómez Palacio, Durango Mexican extreme metal force Svmerian delivers a savage blend of thrash and black metal fueled by themes of war, hatred, and violence. Formed in 2018, the band combines razor-sharp riffs, relentless aggression, and raw underground intensity into a sound that’s both chaotic and crushing. With a fierce DIY spirit and uncompromising energy, Svmerian continues to carve its name into the modern extreme metal scene.

How To Disappear (MEX)

Fri September 11, 2026 starts at 22:00

Emerging from the underground with a bleak and emotionally charged sound, How to Disappear blends atmospheric black metal, post-metal, and haunting melancholy into an immersive sonic experience. Formed in 2022, the project explores themes of isolation, loss, and existential despair through crushing riffs, ethereal textures, and emotionally raw songwriting. Balancing aggression with cinematic atmosphere, How to Disappear crafts music that is as introspective as it is devastating.

Nebelstørm (NL)

Fri September 11, 2026 starts at 21:00

Their performances are more rituals than concerts. Shrouded in smoke and minimal lighting, the band often literally disappears into the mist on stage, their silhouettes only vaguely visible as the music induces an almost trance-like state. The audience is immersed in a world where time fades and only the feeling of chill, darkness, and ecstasy remains. Although the band consciously remains independent of labels and commercial influences, they distribute their music through digital platforms and exclusive physical releases (often on limitededition cassette or vinyl). Each work is an incantation, a snapshot of inner turmoil and natural transience. NEBELSTØRM is built on mist, melancholy, and pure artistic conviction. In a world that is constantly getting louder, NEBELSTØRM whispers in stormy silence.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/svmerion-mex-how-to-disappear-mex-nebelstorm-nl

Molton Grove (NL) + Horizon Tide (NL) + RC Sullivan (NL)

The Cave, Saturday, September 12 at 09:00 PM GMT+2

Molton Grove (NL)

Sat September 12, 2026 starts at 23:00

Discover Molton Grove, the alternative rock sensation from Amsterdam! With their powerful riffs and melodies, they are gaining significant ground in the alternative rock scene. Although they draw inspiration from virtually every genre, the band’s sound is primarily rooted in the distinctive style of the 90s. Think of the energy of bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam, blended with a contemporary twist that puts Molton Grove’s own stamp on the genre.

Horizon Tide (NL)

Sat September 12, 2026 starts at 22:00

Horizon Tide (formed in 2015) is an alternative metal band with progressive influences, hailing from the Amsterdam/Utrecht region. The band consists of Daan Romein (vocals, guitar), Tom van der Schaaf (guitar), Hasan Işik (drums), and Lex de Vries (bass guitar). The impression Horizon Tide’s music leaves on the listener is one of an unexpected blend of various (progressive) elements drawn from the metal palette. It is like a story filled with surprising plot twists—music that makes you headbang one moment, drift away in a reverie the next, and occasionally catches you off guard with a sharp, unexpected turn. The band and its music are constantly evolving, yet they always manage to retain their own unique sound.

RC Sullivan (NL)

Sat September 12, 2026 starts at 21:00

R.C. Sullivan is rough and harmonious. It's familiar, yet exciting. The beat is fast and energetic, still variably so. The lyrics are introspective, though inviting. The music is chaotic but catchy. It's melodic hardcore. Expect melodic riffs, vehement vocals and pounding rhythms.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/molton-grove-nl-horizon-tide-nl-rc-sullivan-nl

Ukrainian New Wave

Splendor, Friday, October 30 at 07:00 PM GMT+1

Antonii Baryshevskyi presents:SplenDoor to Ukraine: CINEMA

More info soon

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/ukrainian-new-wave

Ontworteld: W.C. Handy en Leadbelly + Music by Friends

Splendor, Friday, October 2 at 08:00 PM GMT+2

River Adomeit presents:

First edition of the new roots-focused series begins with two vital early American Blues musicians, W.C. Handy and Lead Belly. Siebren Smink will play an opening guitar set, celebrating fellow Amsterdam composers.

First set:
Siebren Smink - guitar

Second set:
Cem Karayalçin - guitar
France Amado - voice
River Adomeit - bass

radio=1radio=1

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/ontworteld-wc-handy-en-leadbelly-music-by-friends

The Mary Wallopers

Paradiso, Saturday, January 30 at 07:00 PM GMT+1

Irish folk with a punk attitude

This is the concert on Saturday, January 30. The Mary Walloppers is also giving a concert on Friday, January 29.

The Mary Wallopers breathe new life into Irish folk songs, without smoothing out the rough edges. The band from Dundalk began during the COVID-19 lockdown with live streams from the living room of brothers Charles and Andrew Handy. What started as a trio grew into a six-piece band, featuring banjo, accordion, tin whistle, uilleann pipes and drums. Traditional songs and protest tunes are given driving rhythms and loose harmonies, ensuring the music remains true to the Irish folk tradition whilst retaining the directness of punk.

The songs deal with working-class life, the housing crisis and resistance to exploitation. Humour and politics blend effortlessly: old Irish folk tunes are not treated as museum pieces, but as stories that still have something to say. On 18 September, their third album ‘Paddywhackery’ is released, recorded in two weeks with James Skelly of The Coral. On tracks such as ‘Landlord’s Demise’, ‘Crowns of England’ and ‘The Big Mixer’, The Mary Wallopers sound fuller and more powerful. At the same time, the core remains the same: using songs from the Irish tradition to say something about life today.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/the-mary-wallopers-1

The Mary Wallopers

Paradiso, Friday, January 29 at 07:30 PM GMT+1

Irish folk with a punk attitude

This is the concert on Friday, January 29. The Mary Walloppers is also giving a concert on Saturday, January 30.

The Mary Wallopers breathe new life into Irish folk songs, without smoothing out the rough edges. The band from Dundalk began during the COVID-19 lockdown with live streams from the living room of brothers Charles and Andrew Handy. What started as a trio grew into a six-piece band, featuring banjo, accordion, tin whistle, uilleann pipes and drums. Traditional songs and protest tunes are given driving rhythms and loose harmonies, ensuring the music remains true to the Irish folk tradition whilst retaining the directness of punk.

The songs deal with working-class life, the housing crisis and resistance to exploitation. Humour and politics blend effortlessly: old Irish folk tunes are not treated as museum pieces, but as stories that still have something to say. On 18 September, their third album ‘Paddywhackery’ is released, recorded in two weeks with James Skelly of The Coral. On tracks such as ‘Landlord’s Demise’, ‘Crowns of England’ and ‘The Big Mixer’, The Mary Wallopers sound fuller and more powerful. At the same time, the core remains the same: using songs from the Irish tradition to say something about life today.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/the-mary-wallopers-2

Squeeze

Paradiso, Sunday, March 21 at 07:30 PM GMT+1

A mainstay of British pop

Squeeze are the British band formed around songwriters Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford. Since emerging in the late seventies, they have become a defining presence in British pop, with songs such as 'Cool for Cats' and 'Up the Junction' now regarded as classics. Between 1978 and 1996, 11 singles reached the UK Top 40. Their influence can be heard in artists including Lily Allen and The Killers. More than five decades on, Tilbrook and Difford are still making music together. In 2026, they released 'Trixies', an album first conceived during their teenage years.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/squeeze

Karate Boogaloo

Paradiso, Saturday, February 13 at 10:00 PM GMT+1

Instrumental funk and soul from Melbourne

The four members of Karate Boogaloo have been making music together since their school days. In Melbourne, bassist Henry Jenkins, drummer Hudson Whitlock, organist Callum Riley and guitarist Darvid Thor began by covering songs by Booker T. & The M.G.’s and The Meters. Almost twenty years on, they have distilled those influences into their own brand of instrumental funk and soul. Hammond organ, guitar, bass and drums form the foundation for playful melodies and the tension of an old film soundtrack. The music is recorded live without overdubs, clearly demonstrating just how well the quartet plays together.

Their new album, ‘Access All Areas’, is due for release on 9 October. For this new album, Karate Boogaloo stripped away everything that made the tracks more complicated than necessary. Recorded on four tracks and with as little embellishment as possible, the album showcases how Karate Boogaloo have fully made the instrumental funk and soul of their heroes their own.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/karate-boogaloo

Friday Night Live - ADE edition - ft. Ikigai

Contra, Friday, October 23 at 08:00 PM GMT+2

Friday Night Live is the long awaited late night jam session refuge for jazz players and lovers alike! Steamy jazz, dimmed lights, bold cocktails, a delicious chef's menu and Europe’s finest musicians letting loose; Friday Night Live seeks out to become both an inspiring as well as highly entertaining institution of Amsterdam. Opening set from 20:00-21:30, jam session from 21:30-23:00, free entry if you bring your instrument. 

To celebrate ADE we organise a week of eclectic, futuristic but above all insanely groovy electronic jazz! Inspired by the NU Jazz movement that has taken over the USA, UK and Europe we invite artists that blend jazz with electronic music, hiphop and other influences. 

IKIGAI is an Amsterdam-based collective built around groove, improvisation and interaction. Founded by D!ma Loginov and Justin Maas, the project brings together musicians from different backgrounds and scenes, creating music somewhere between jazz, soul, electronic and grove based music. 

Dima Loginov - Trumpet
Kitano Hernandez - piano/keys 
Agus Fulka - Guitar
Justin Maas - Bass 
Max Sergeant - Drums

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/friday-night-live-ade-edition-ft-ikigai

Van Istanbul naar Marrakech

Splendor, Friday, November 27 at 08:30 PM GMT+1

Mattijs van de Woerd presents:Mediterraneo band en zanger gast Salah Eddin Mosbah

Naar Marrakech – een muzikale odyssee over zeeën en eeuwen

In deze vierde editie van het Istanbul Midnight-project dompelen we ons onder in de rijke tradities die de culturen rond de Middellandse Zee met elkaar verbinden:

Programmahoogtepunten
● Andalusische muziek – Ervaar de verfijnde elegantie van de Marokkaanse traditie, diep geworteld in het historische Al-Andalus.
● Ottomaanse klassieke muziek – Luister naar majestueuze makam-lijnen en sierlijke vocale ornamentiek, gevormd door eeuwen van Turkse kunstmuziek.
● Rebetiko – Voel de soulvolle en rauwe charme van de historische straatliederen uit Athene en Istanbul, gebracht met ongepolijste passie en expressie.

Speciale gast: Dr. Michalis Cholevas

Tijdens het evenement geeft Dr. Michalis Cholevas een korte presentatie over de makam. Aan de hand van livevoorbeelden belicht hij de historische achtergrond, klassieke vormen en de improvisatietradities van de instrumentale taksim en vocale gazel.

Mediterraneo Band
De Mediterraneo Band werd opgericht in 2022 en bestaat uit getalenteerde muzikanten uit Syrië, Turkije, Griekenland, Duitsland en Nederland, die een passie delen voor mediterrane muzikale tradities. De band ontstond uit gedeelde ervaringen bij Codarts WMDC in Nederland en biedt een unieke fusie van klassieke en hedendaagse Arabische, Griekse en Turkse composities met westerse instrumenten. Hun geluid weerspiegelt een moderne draai aan Makam-muziek terwijl ze trouw blijven aan haar tijdloze wortels.

Salah Eddin Musbah (MA) - zang
Pelagia Tsiachri Renta (GR) - zang
Burak Savaş (TR) - zang, viool
Caner Malkoç (TR) - klarinet
Yiorgos Bereris (GR) - piano
Ektoras Remsak (GR/PL) - drums
Ayman Hajjmian (SY/NL) - contrabas

Dit project is mede mogelijk gemaakt door de financiële steun van het Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst (AFK), Fonds 21 en het Cultuurfonds (Catarina Latina Fonds)

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https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/van-istanbul-naar-marrakech

RAVEL - Album release!

Splendor, Sunday, October 11 at 08:00 PM GMT+2

Bart de Vrees presents:Feestconcert met Ensemble Lumaka: muziek van Ravel voor fluit, harp en strijktrio

Lumaka is al jaren in de ban van de betoverende en geniale muziek van Maurice Ravel. Daarom gaat het ensemble nu het album RAVEL met bewerkingen van zijn mooiste stukken uitbrengen: de Sonatine en Tombeau de Couperin werden al eerder voor fluit, harp en strijkers bewerkt. De arrangementen van Ma Mère l’Oye en Menuet Antique voor kwintet komen van leden van Lumaka zelf.

Ter feestviering speelt Lumaka uittreksels uit het nieuwe album (en iets meer) en er zal een verrassing plaatsvinden - wellicht wint u dan de nieuwe schrijf?

Ensemble Lumaka, bestaat inmiddels bijna 25 jaar en werd opgericht door Jana Machalett (fluit), Martina Forni (altviool) en Miriam Overlach (harp), toentertijd studenten aan het Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
Al gauw wonnen zij enkele concoursen zoals het Internationale Kamermuziekconcours Almere en Het Debuut. Sindsdien is het ensemble uitgebreid met cello (Charles Watt) en viool (wisselende spelers) en trad het ensemble regelmatig op in de mooiste concertzalen van Nederland (waaronder de Kleine Zaal van het Concertgebouw, de Hermitage, Concertgebouw de Vereeniging) en bij festivals (bijvoorbeeld het Grachtenfestival, Festival Classique, Peter de Grote Festival, het Thailand International Harpfestival, het 47th Istanbul Music Festival). RAVEL is de vierde cd van Lumaka.
De Lumaka-leden zijn tegenwoordig o.a. werkzaam bij het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, Klangforum Wien, Ensemble Postland en als solisten en kamermusici in de hedendaagse en oude muziek, maar vinden toch nog steeds de tijd om met elkaar te blijven optreden en van het gezamenlijk spel te genieten.
De afgelopen jaren is het ensemble zich steeds meer gaan verdiepen in de muziek van 1900 tot 1940, met name uit Frankrijk. In die tijd ontstond er veel nieuw repertoire voor fluit, harp en strijkers en het is een tijd vol omwentelingen in maatschappij en dus ook muziek: zo hoor je nog overblijfselen uit romantiek, de eerste jazz-invloeden, fascinatie voor buiten-Europese muziek, gekke tonaliteit en ritmiek... of soms, zoals bij Ravel het eerbetoon aan de oude meesters uit het barok.

Ensemble Lumaka:
Jana Machalett - fluit
Martina Forni - altviool
Charles Watt - cello
Miriam Overlach - harp
Te gast: Laura Lunansky - viool

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/ravel-album-release

Duo 12-21: Classical & Electric Guitars

Splendor, Monday, October 12 at 07:30 PM GMT+2

Mattijs van de Woerd presents:Works by a.o. Bach, Debussy, Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Tigran Hamasyan & Brad Mehldau

Duo 12-21 is a guitar duo formed by Portuguese guitarist Bárbara Macedo (2004) and Estonian guitarist Kelly Johannes (2003), both studying at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, under the guidance of Gabriel Bianco.

12-21 was born from their desire to step beyond traditional boundaries and explore new possibilities with the guitar. By moving between the classical and electric guitar, they create a dialogue between two contrasting yet connected sound worlds, exploring their different possibilities. The name 12–21 reflects this idea of contrast and connection: two distinct elements that, while different, share a common identity. Their program includes works by celebrated composers from the classical tradition, including J. S. Bach and C. Debussy, alongside contemporay composers such as Steve Reich, Philip Glass and Tõnu Kõrvits. They also perform their own arrangements of music by jazz musicians such as Tigran Hamasyan and Brad Mehldau.

Bárbara Macedo – Classical & Electric Guitar
Kelly Johannes – Classical & Electric Guitar

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/duo-12-21-classical-and-electric-guitars

Daniël Belinfante - Et in Arcadia Ego

Splendor, Monday, October 5 at 08:00 PM GMT+2

Mattijs van de Woerd presents:Pianorecital by Dimitri Malignan, CD launch concert

Launch concert of the new CD Daniël Belinfante – Et in Arcadia Ego: a piano recital by Dimitri Malignan featuring the music of Daniël Belinfante—a Dutch-Jewish composer born in Amsterdam in 1893 and murdered at Auschwitz in 1945—recorded for the first time.

The program juxtaposes Belinfante’s works with those of composers who inspired him or whose aesthetic aligned with his own: Bach, Chopin, Schumann, Debussy, Milhaud... and other surprises!

This CD is part of the Missing Voices collection and project initiated by Dimitri Malignan, and dedicated to recording composers who were persecuted in the Holocaust.

Dimitri Malignan, piano

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/daniel-belinfante-et-in-arcadia-ego

Pi Strijkkwartet

Salon de IJzerstaven, Sunday, October 25 at 04:00 PM GMT+1

Avontuurlijk programma met 21e‑eeuwse muziek: werken van Caroline Shaw, Gabriella Smith, Joey Roukens en John Luther Adams.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/pi-strijkkwartet

The Black Fire Documentary (2023)

Melkweg, Wednesday, October 14 at 07:00 PM GMT+2

The Amsterdam-based music platform Steppin’ Into Tomorrow is back with a special curated night of three short Afro-jazz documentaries and an online Q&A with saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch.

Juju to Oneness of Juju (2026)
The story of the evolution of the legendary African spiritual jazz group Juju into Oneness of Juju, known from tracks like 'African Rhythms'.

The Black Fire Documentary (2023)
The Black Fire Documentary uncovers Washington, DC’s music and its cultural heritage by highlighting the documents, images, photographs, art, video footage, music and the people behind Black Fire Records. Through the use of primary and secondary research methods, in-person interviews, and archival and media footage and photography, the documentary shines light on a Black-owned independent jazz record label started in Chocolate City, aka the nation’s capital in the 1970’s. Established by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray, and saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch who led the band Oneness Of Juju, Black Fire Records followed in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe.

Tony Williams in Africa (1973)
Tony Williams in Africa is a 37-minute short by bassist and educator Willie Ruff that follows American jazz drummer Tony Williams on a trip to Senegal and Gambia in 1972, featuring super 8mm footage of Williams jamming outdoors with West African drummers as well as a framing section with Ruff, Williams, and pianist Dwike Mitchell presenting the film on 16mm to local children. Restored by the Yale Film Archive and hasn’t been released on any commercial streaming services.

Online Q&A: Plunky Branch
After the films there is an online Q&A with James “Plunky” Branch to talk about Black Fire Records and his band Oneness of Juju!

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/the-black-fire-documentary-2023

The Black Fire Documentary (2023)

Melkweg, Wednesday, October 14 at 07:00 PM GMT+2

The Amsterdam-based music platform Steppin’ Into Tomorrow is back with a special curated night of three short Afro-jazz documentaries and an online Q&A with saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch.

Juju to Oneness of Juju (2026)
The story of the evolution of the legendary African spiritual jazz group Juju into Oneness of Juju, known from tracks like 'African Rhythms'.

The Black Fire Documentary (2023)
The Black Fire Documentary uncovers Washington, DC’s music and its cultural heritage by highlighting the documents, images, photographs, art, video footage, music and the people behind Black Fire Records. Through the use of primary and secondary research methods, in-person interviews, and archival and media footage and photography, the documentary shines light on a Black-owned independent jazz record label started in Chocolate City, aka the nation’s capital in the 1970’s. Established by DJ and record producer Jimmy Gray, and saxophonist James “Plunky” Branch who led the band Oneness Of Juju, Black Fire Records followed in the footsteps of other influential black-owned independent labels like Strata-East and Tribe.

Tony Williams in Africa (1973)
Tony Williams in Africa is a 37-minute short by bassist and educator Willie Ruff that follows American jazz drummer Tony Williams on a trip to Senegal and Gambia in 1972, featuring super 8mm footage of Williams jamming outdoors with West African drummers as well as a framing section with Ruff, Williams, and pianist Dwike Mitchell presenting the film on 16mm to local children. Restored by the Yale Film Archive and hasn’t been released on any commercial streaming services.

Online Q&A: Plunky Branch
After the films there is an online Q&A with James “Plunky” Branch to talk about Black Fire Records and his band Oneness of Juju!

Melkweg often hosts different types of programmes at the same time, such as concerts, club nights and films. Please note that there may occasionally be some noise pollution from other programmes during the screening.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/the-black-fire-documentary-2023

Beyond the Dresscode

Pakhuis de Zwijger, Thursday, October 8 at 07:30 PM GMT+2

What does it mean to find your style, and yourself, between Caribbean and Dutch cultures?

On the Dutch Caribbean islands, style comes with rules like church protocols, community expectations and the pressure to fit a certain mold. Moving to the Netherlands, or elsewhere abroad, opens up a world of options. But it also brings new questions: Who am I without those rules? How do I stay connected to my roots while exploring new ways of expressing myself? We’re bringing together creatives who live this tension every day. Designers, stylists, and visionaries navigating between two worlds, two beauty standards, and two very different ideas of what fashion should be. We’ll explore the shift from “bo no ta bisti kos di hende” to thrifting and upcycling, and the courage it takes to experiment in a small community. We’ll also tackle the bigger question: what does beauty mean in the Caribbean vs. the Netherlands, and who gets to define it?

Pop out and show out for a night of connection, culture and conversation!

POP-UP EVENT: Browse and shop at our pop-up market featuring clothing and accessories from Dutch Caribbean brands and makers. More info on the pop-up market will be shared soon!

In this programme Goldiie Creative Director, Designer and Stylist John Brooks Founder & Director, Brooks Modeling Agency BV Quiana Cronie Multidisciplinary Designer

More about the speakers

Goldiie is a Curaçaoan-Bonairian multidisciplinary artist, creative director, and jewelry designer. Her work explores themes of beauty, identity, memory, and transformation. Moving between design, fashion, film, and education, she draws deeply from her Caribbean heritage. By bringing together personal stories, cultural elements, and different artistic disciplines, Goldiie creates her own layered visual language.

Originally from St. Maarten and based in Amsterdam, John Brooks is the founder and director of Brooks Modeling Agency. Since founding the agency in 2012, he has built it from an independent boutique into an internationally focused modeling agency with a presence in Amsterdam, Milan and Paris. Driven by instinct and a genuine passion for discovering new talent, John has always looked beyond conventional ideas of beauty. His approach is personal and hands-on, with a strong focus on individuality, development and building careers that can grow internationally. Over the years, Brooks Modeling Agency has developed a diverse roster of models working across the global fashion industry. At the heart of John’s work remains the same philosophy he started with: recognising potential, giving talent an opportunity, and helping individuality stand out.

Quiana Cronie is an Aruban multidisciplinary designer exploring storytelling through visual design and fashion. Inspired by Aruba’s forgotten narratives, she translates stories into visual worlds, textures, and wearables. Her work bridges past and present, preserving and reimagining the island’s stories for future generations.

Nerizje Polanco is a fashion enthusiast, content creator and Cultural Anthropologist with a passion for style, culture and self-expression. Their approach to fashion is deeply rooted in an appreciation for identity and cultural expression. Their Caribbean heritage heavily influences their style, bringing vibrancy, individuality, and a strong sense of cultural pride to their looks.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/beyond-the-dresscode

Ongewenst, maar niet uitzetbaar

SPUI25, Thursday, October 8 at 08:00 PM GMT+2

Deze avond gaat over de verschoppelingen van deze wereld: de veroordeelde buitenlandse crimineel die zijn straf heeft uitgezeten, maar niet kan worden uitgezet. De voormalige terrorist die, zonder ooit een rechter te hebben gezien, voor onbepaalde tijd wordt vastgehouden. En de vermeende génocidair die zelfs na vrijspraak nergens een thuis vindt.

Het is het verhaal van een van de meest beladen politieke kwesties van deze tijd: ongewenste, maar niet-uitzetbare migranten. Criminologen Joris van Wijk en Maarten Bolhuis hebben hier het boek ‘Undesirable but Unremovable Migrants: War Criminals, Terrorists and Foreign Offenders in Limbo’ over geschreven. Op deze avond laten zij aan de hand van verschillende voorbeelden zien hoe dit probleem is ontstaan, hoe omvangrijk het inmiddels is geworden en welke oplossingen denkbaar zijn.

Verwacht geen pasklare oplossingen, maar wél grote vragen en onvolkomen antwoorden. Joris van Wijk en Maarten Bolhuis vertellen over Congolese jagers-verzamelaars, Griekse asylia, ontmaskerde nazi’s, Afghaanse oorlogsmisdadigers en het verzwegen geheim van Guantánamo Bay.

Deze avond confronteert je ook met de vraag waar jij zelf staat. Hoe ver mag de staat gaan in het beperken van fundamentele rechten om de samenleving te beschermen? Gelden voor de ‘ander’ andere regels? En zo ja, waarom eigenlijk?

Sprekers

Joris van Wijk is hoogleraar Criminology of conflict-related crimes and post-conflict justice aan de VU.

Maarten Bolhuis is universitair docent Criminologie aan de VU. Hun onderzoek richt zich op raakvlakken tussen conflictgerelateerde criminaliteit en terrorisme, post-conflict transities, en migratie.

Elies van Sliedregt is hoogleraar Strafrecht en Strafprocesrecht aan Tilburg University. Daarvoor was zij hoogleraar Internationaal Strafrecht aan de University of Leeds (Verenigd Koninkrijk). Eerder werkte zij aan de Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, waar zij van 2011 tot 2015 decaan was van de Faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid. In 2022 ontving zij een ERC Advanced Grant voor het project Joined Up Justice: Building a Global Justice System at the Domestic Level. Haar recente onderzoek richt zich op de wisselwerking tussen internationaal strafrecht, vluchtelingenrecht en het Europese strafrecht.

Veronique Aicha (moderator) is Head of Social Impact bij RESCALED, een Europese beweging die pleit voor kleinschalige detentiehuizen die verankerd zijn in de gemeenschap, als vervanging voor grootschalige gevangenissen. Haar werk richt zich op het hervormen van rechtssystemen in Europa. Eerder werkte ze als programmamanager criminal justice bij het Nederlands Helsinki Comité, waar ze werkte in landen als Albanië en Kosovo. Daarnaast was ze voorzitter van de European Prison Education Association (EPEA) in Nederland waarvoor ze gevangenissen bezocht in heel Europa. Ook publiceert ze artikelen en werkt ze momenteel aan haar eerste documentaire als regisseur: een hybride film over jazz en rechtvaardigheid, waarin de relatie tussen artistieke expressie en maatschappelijke onderdrukking centraal staat.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/ongewenst-maar-niet-uitzetbaar

Pottenkijkers: Bouchra

De Uitkijk, Wednesday, September 16 at 09:00 PM GMT+2

After a summer break, Pottenkijkers returns to our favorite theater De Uitkijk on September 16 with the original, groundbreaking animated film Bouchra (2025), the first feature film by documentary filmmaker Orian Barki and visual artist Meriem Bennani (known for the web series 2 Lizards).

Bouchra, a filmmaker from New York, tries to write about her departure from Casablanca and her mother in Morocco. In the nine years since Bouchra came out, she and her mother have barely spoken. While Bouchra seeks support from her friends in the New York queer scene, she picks up the phone and calls her mother. In doing so, she tries to come to terms with exactly what happened, and with everything that has remained unspoken between them.

Barki and Bennani bring documentary, fiction, improvisation and memory together. Bouchra and her mother appear as coyotes, sometimes in multiple versions at once, as they approach, avoid and repeatedly try to understand one another. Bouchra is not only a film about a complicated mother-daughter relationship, but also about migration, intimacy, and the question of how to tell a story that has not yet reached its end.

• Language: English, French, Arabic
• Subtitles: English
• Duration: 83 mins.
• Director: Orian Yani Barki & Meriem Bennani
• Cast: Meriem Bennani, Orian Barki, Fayçal Azizi
• Year: 2025
• Country: United States, Italy, Maroc

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/pottenkijkers-bouchra

How Diversity And Inclusion Came Under Attack

De Balie, Thursday, October 22 at 07:30 PM GMT+2

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies are under fire from both sides of the political spectre: efforts are dismissed as ‘woke’ on the right and as a corporate checklist substituting real change on the left. How have these principles of diversity become so politicized?

The death of Cambridge professor Jason Arday marks a tragic low point in the culture war surrounding diversity and inclusion policies. In the United States, the Trump administration is rolling back such policies, while in the Netherlands, major corporations are pulling out of events such as Amsterdam’s Canal Parade. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies are under fire from both sides: efforts are dismissed as ‘woke’ on the right and as a corporate checklist substituting real change on the left.

The diversity principle holds that societies, institutions and democracies are strengthened when people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives engage with one another. But how to get there, when this very notion has become so politicized?

Tonight we look at the role that universities have played in the ideas and policies on diversity, equity and inclusion. Professor David B. Oppenheimer wrote the book The Diversity Principle, which chronicles how diversity became a foundational value of higher education over the last two hundred years, from quota for Jewish students at Ivy League schools to the desegregation of schools in the American South after the civil rights movement. He will enter into conversation with Dr. Ivana Isailović, who examines how neoliberalism is incorporating emancipatory thoughts and movements.

About the speakers

David B. Oppenheimer is a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, and Co-Director of the Berkeley Center on Comparative Equality and Anti-Discrimination Law. He is the author of The Diversity Principle: The Story of a Transformative Idea.

Ivana Isailović is Assistant Professor of EU law and the academic coordinator of the Sustainable Global Economic Law (SGEL) interdisciplinary research project. Her research sits at the intersection of law, gender studies, critical theory and political economy. Her ongoing research examines the interplay between law, political economy and gender based inequalities in global contexts.

Samira Rafaela is a former Member of the European Parliament, international speaker and advisor advocating for better women’s health. She also conducted research into the gender pay gap as a visiting researcher at Cornell University in the US.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/how-diversity-and-inclusion-came-under-attack

A Man of Integrity

De Balie, Sunday, September 13 at 02:00 PM GMT+2

A principled man refuses to surrender his small farm to a powerful corporation, but his resistance draws him into a corrupt system where money, influence and violence dictate the rules.

Reza, a former university lecturer, has withdrawn from public life and moved with his wife and young son to a remote village in northern Iran, where he runs a small goldfish farm. Hoping to live quietly and independently, he soon discovers that keeping out of local power struggles is easier said than done.

A powerful corporation, backed by corrupt local officials, is determined to take control of the land and water around his farm. When Reza refuses to cooperate, seemingly minor acts of intimidation gradually escalate into a campaign designed to force him out. His commitment to honesty and principle is put to the test.

With A Man of Integrity, Mohammad Rasoulof delivers a tense and uncompromising portrait of corruption and power. Reza’s struggle is not simply against a particular company or group of officials, but against a society in which injustice has become deeply embedded.

The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where Rasoulof was awarded the Un Certain Regard Award for Best Film.

On 4 September, Mohammad Rasoulof joins us at De Balie for The Aesthetics of Tyranny, a conversation about power, repression and the representation of tyranny in his work. In the weeks that follow, we present a small retrospective of Rasoulof’s films, offering the opportunity to discover his remarkable body of work on the big screen.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/a-man-of-integrity

Heritage and Horizon: Screening Porte Bagage (2026)

VOX-POP, Thursday, October 1 at 04:30 PM GMT+2

Join us on Thursday 1 October for the screening of Porte Bagage (2026) at VOX-POP. This acclaimed road movie is the debut film by Abdelkarim and Asma El-Fassi. The screening is taking place as part of the project Heritage and Horizon: Between Memory and Imagination.

Please note that the movie is in Dutch. English subtitles are available.

Porte Bagage centres on a familiar journey: the road trip from the Netherlands to Morocco, an annual ritual for many Moroccan-Dutch people. With the trunk (and sometimes the roof too) fully loaded, a multi-day journey begins in which ‘home’ in the Netherlands gives way to ‘home’ in Morocco.

The film portrays this journey in an emotional, nostalgic and also humorous way. Along the way, the travellers laugh, debate, eat, sing and create new memories. What appears to be an ordinary holiday trip actually symbolises living between two different places, which can both feel like home.

The success of Porte Bagage has shown how this summer holiday has become part of a shared experience amongst Moroccan-Dutch people. The film touches on questions of family, memory, identity, living between different worlds and choosing one’s own destiny.

Synopsis

Noor (30) looks after her stubborn father Musa (76), who suffers from dementia. When offered her dream job as a chef in Paris, she is left to choose between her career and her family.

To make the severity of their father’s condition clear to her brothers and sister, Noor arranges an appointment with a neurologist. Following the death of a close friend, Musa expresses his wish to return to Morocco. Initially reluctant, Noor begins to see this as her way out – helping her father return to his homeland whilst finally pursuing her own dreams of independence.

Despite resistance from her brother Farid, she manages to persuade her brothers to join her on a road trip, during which they come to terms with their past and their uncertain future.

About Zouka

Zouka is a film company with a social heart, sharing stories that matter. Zouka creates authentic films and documentaries and develops innovative concepts and strategies that harness the power of film to bring about social change. Their focus is on sharing stories from underrepresented groups; people whose voices need to be heard. Zouka believes in the power of inclusion and uses creativity to transform ideas into powerful visual stories that make an impact, with the ultimate goal of bringing communities closer together.

Programme

16:00 Doors open
16:30 Start of screening
18:30 End of event

Practical information

This event is free and open to everyone. We do ask that you register in advance. The event will take place at VOX-POP (ground floor), Binnengasthuisstraat 9.

https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/heritage-and-horizon-screening-porte-bagage-2026