Spinoza

Amsterdam, 17th century.

A city that sees itself as a safe haven.

A Portuguese-Jewish refugee community.

Three children. One family.

About Spinoza

Bento (Spinoza), Rebecca, and Miriam are siblings. They grow up together; in the same family, with the same history, in the same city… And yet, they are all completely different. Their dreams clash.

Bento is a freethinker; he dares to radically question God, faith, and tradition. He asks questions—too sharp, too free. Rebecca chooses security within the community, a sense of belonging. Miriam longs for a freedom that does not exist for her, purely because she is a woman. While the children share a close bond at the beginning, they grow further and further apart, and a distance develops.

Love is forbidden. Ideas become dangerous. And tolerance suddenly turns out to be a broad concept.

Between thought and desire

Against the backdrop of the Amsterdam Forest and guided by powerful songs, we follow the family in their struggle with faith, freedom, and longing. As the city is ravaged by war and disease, they lose touch with each other. But even though they are no longer together, they remain always connected.

Why Spinoza in 2026

Spinoza is a deeply human story about love, conviction, and the courage to think differently. It shows that a society cannot consist of a single voice alone. We need thinkers who dare to question everything. We need people who remind us where we come from. And we need bridge-builders: people who connect, who bring parties together, especially when differences are great. Only together do we remain human. Only together do we remain free.