Het hart van Amsterdam

A unique glimpse into the Amsterdam underworld

In the early 1980s, filmmakers Arnold-Jan Scheer and Roy Dames ventured into the Wallen. They befriended key figures from the 'penoze': people who controlled the streets, cafes, and buildings of the Red Light District. With their cameras, they captured what most outsiders never saw. The result is dozens of hours of unique, authentic footage that reveals a world gone forever.

How hard drugs changed a neighborhood

The rise of hard drugs in the 1980s brought about a turning point in the Red Light District. Serious crime made its entrance, and the atmosphere in the neighborhood shifted drastically. The documentary *Het hart van Amsterdam* follows that change up close, through the eyes of people who were right in the middle of it. That makes the film raw, honest, and poignant.

Documentary showing at De Balie

De Balie in Amsterdam is a platform for film, debate, and culture. In this program , Het hart van Amsterdam is being screened as a documentary. Are you interested in the film? You can easily reserve tickets via the link on this page.

Dutch spoken.