When asked to review the past decades of film policy in the Netherlands, Sandra den Hamer mentions professionalisation and internationalisation as most notable ‘successes’. Den Hamer is director of the EYE Film Institute in the Netherlands, and is the former director of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) and winner of a Golden Calf (Gouden Kalf) for contributions to Dutch film culture. She emphasises how these major trends are interrelated. In part, internationalisation was caused by the exorbitant costs involved in the production of a film. ‘If you watch the credits of most European productions—including Dutch films—you will see a large set of partners and funds listed,’ explains Den Hamer. They each bring in part of the overall budget. ‘Because (…) making films is just costly, and the funds of most countries are too limited in themselves to cover that budget.’

The increasingly international cooperation results in, but also presupposes, professionalisation. Movies of the first graduates of the Dutch Film Academy (established in 1958) sold millions of tickets to cinemas. At the moment, the market share of Dutch productions in total cinema admissions is precarious, depending each year on the particular titles being released. Nonetheless, commercially successful blockbuster productions of the last few years include Viper’s Nest (Gooische Vrouwen) 1 and 2. This is unsurprising, in light of the fact that ‘film policy in the Netherlands has been very successful in creating a strong production climate.’ A contrasting example is Portugal, ‘where film policy has always been regarded as arts policy, and where a few Portuguese directors regularly deliver award-winning films,’ says Den Hamer, ‘yet in the Netherlands, film policy is inherently economic. In terms of volume, in terms of budget, we have grown significantly. However, that does not correspond with the development of artistic quality. It is still very difficult to get Dutch films nominated for awards.’

In order to make progress in this regard, all the different parts of the chain should be taken into account: ‘the production and screening of films, education and film critique, and platforms: they are all vital to the sector.’ Fortunately, the Dutch government acknowledges the importance of festivals such as the IFFR and the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (both are subsidised by the national as well as municipal governments).