I amsterdam - Best Celluloid Heros

Turbulent Times
The Kriterion has a long and somewhat turbulent history. Shortly after World War Two, a number of students needed to raise money for their studies, so they decided to set up their own charitable foundation in order to support themselves. They took over an old, neglected building in the Roetersstraat, converted it into a cinema, and on 6 November 1945, the first film in the Kriterion cinema was shown. 

Celluloid Heros
Since a mini-coup in 1981, when a younger generation of students decided to take on the established board of governors of the Foundation, the cinema became an independent cinema and is now firmly owned and maintained by the students themselves. Decisions are taken as a group, and the staff of around 50 students take care of everything; from screening the films, to promotion, box-office duties and refreshment sales. 

Cinema for Society
Kriterion has two recently renovated screening rooms, one holding around 80 people, the other 200. Specializing in art house films, they also show children’s features and hard-hitting documentaries. The ‘Sneak Preview’ night is one of the most popular in Amsterdam; film fans can see new releases weeks (sometimes months) before their general release. Sunday afternoon’s ‘Cinema Discutabel’, when film screenings followed by debates with guest speakers are held, has tackled such issues as ‘The Development of the Third World’, ‘Echoes of Genocide: Bosnia 1995-2005’ and ‘Sex and the Sari’. Classics and special season screenings are also in the repertoire.

Hang Out
If all this movie action wasn’t enough of a reason to visit it,the Kriterion café is a popular destination in itself - many students (and locals) use it as a meeting place even if they’re not planning to catch a film.

Kriterion
Roetersstraat 170
Tel : +31 (0)20 623 1708
Website: www.kriterion.nl