Belgium and The Netherlands: Lands and Peoples

For months, the FBI have been investigating Russian interference in the American presidential elections. ZEMBLA is investigating another explosive dossier concerning Trump’s involvement with the Russians: Trump’s business and personal ties to oligarchs from the former Soviet Union. Powerful billionaires suspected of money laundering and fraud, and of having contacts in Moscow and with the mafia. What do these relationships say about Trump and why does he deny them? How compromising are these dubious business relationships for the 45th president of the United States? And are there connections with the Netherlands? ZEMBLA meets with one of Trump’s controversial cronies and speaks with a former CIA agent, fraud investigators, attorneys, and an American senator among others.

Après le déluge

Pirate radio stations are unprecedentedly popular, even in the age of the internet and Spotify. What does this music say about identity, about our desire for stability in a changing world?

Charles Vandenhove, architecte de l'art

The parents are at their wits’ end, so a temporary supervision order is the last hope for a group of teenagers in Punks. Now, on a remote farm in France, they’re going to have to get their lives back on track, with the help of a counselor. If they want any chance of a happy life, they need to engage in some frank and painful conversations. Mitchel has to find a way to get along with his father, but maybe too much has already happened since his mother died. Jahlano is already at the next stage: he’s no longer allowed to live with his mother, and needs to get over the disappointment. Mike, meanwhile, is struggling with his image as a boy who’s “got a screw loose.” Filmed in constant close-up by director Maasja Ooms, the teenagers try to tame their demons with music and therapy, but problems from the past keep resurfacing. In this intimate and sincere portrait, these troubled kids show us their most vulnerable sides.

In the early morning of February 3, 1979, a giant black triangular object flew over Soesterberg Air Base. At least twelve soldiers witnessed this bizarre spectacle.

Secret Courage: The Walter Suskind Story

What happens when a world that relies on traffic and the logistics that allow it comes to a standstill? What happens when sickness and even death are taken from us?

The documentary that answers the question: is having month-long double paid vacations, no fear of homelessness, and universal health care the nightmare we've been warned about? The answer may surprise you.

Rikkie Kollé will be the first trans woman to be crowned Miss Netherlands in July 2023. In addition to praise, 22-year-old Rikkie receives a remarkable amount of misunderstanding and hate reactions about herself. Fortunately, they have only strengthened her mission even more: being an example for young trans people and normalizing gender diversity. In a unique documentary, Miss Netherlands is followed on her way to the world stage in El Salvador where she is making a bid for the title of Miss Universe, with all the work, obligations and preparations that entails.

Rapper and breakdancer Teekay from Eindhoven is known for his somersaults and vlogs that are causing a stir. During the corona riots in 2021, he not only gained national fame as a vlog reporter, but also ended up briefly in jail. After his junior year, Teekay wants to change course and, above all, be an example for other young people. In the film he takes us into his life and talks about his childhood in foster homes, the mistakes he made and about his dreams. What is Teekay looking for?

Les Belges Sont-Ils Les Plus Racistes D'Europe ?

What if your father murdered your mother? Maeve, Roser, and sisters Perla and Aurora each lost their mother, their father, and their safe home in a single day. Director Sara Kolster, in collaboration with expert Perla Joy, tells their stories about that single day, about how it could happen, but especially about what came afterward. Using tape, they reconstruct the contours of their childhood home, as it was before it became a crime scene, even though it served as a blueprint of their childhood.

Lambic is a style of beer that has been brewed in Belgium since hundreds of years ago, and today it still remains under that almost magical halo around its production process and the mysterious yeast that make it possible. Lambic: about time & passion is a project that we started as a way of giving voice to lambic beer and to those characters that play an important role in the development and preservation of this ancient style of beer.

Tilburg artist Tommy van der Loo searches for the influence of superiority thinking, racism and colour in his life. Van der Loo is an emerging artist and his work has been purchased by Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam. He also had an exhibition at the Kunsthal. He also made the memorial for the abolition of slavery in Eindhoven. He has had multiple experiences with discrimination and incorporates that into his sculptures. Identity and image formation are important to him: How do you look at others, how do others look at you. The search is the inspiration for his new sculpture.

This short documentary by Gerard D'Olivat follows the hard physical labour of a farmer from the Eilandspolder, a water-rich area in the heart of North Holland. He wants a better future for his young family.

Filmed on location, Flandrien tells the story of the Flanders region of Belgium. Rich in history, full of flavor and adventure, Flanders abounds with captivating visuals. Cycling is central to the lifestyle and culture of the area. From the onset, the question arises: What is a Flandrien? The journey strips away the layers to discover and understanding where, why, and within whom the Flandrien spirit lives. Along the way, the treasures, triumphs, and tragedies of Flanders are revealed. Flandrien shares insights from some of the cycling greats of Belgium and around the world who devoted their lives to a sport so ingrained in the culture it is inextricable.

The small Belgian army held up the German advance, the British Expeditionary Force fought its first battle and the invincible German army was brought to a standstill in Belgium. This film traces that first month, the battles of Liège, Antwerp and Mons. In reconstruction it uses the words of those who took part and looks at the remains of the battlefields and the fortifications that still exist.

Documentary about Haarlem.

In the Zeeland coastal village of Cadzand, tourism provides year-round employment and vibrancy. At the same time, permanent residents are disappearing, and housing is becoming unaffordable. Clubs are shrinking, amenities are under pressure, and the fire department is facing a shortage of volunteers. The coast is being filled with expensive apartment complexes for tourists, while young people are struggling to find affordable housing. Economic growth is clashing with social cohesion and nature. How do residents of a Zeeland coastal village combat the financial pressures when their village is overrun by tourists and white facades with red roofs dominate nature reserves?