film

Amsterdam Global Village is a sprawling four-hour documentary by Johan van der Keuken that maps the cultural and emotional geography of Amsterdam in the mid-1990s. Moving between loosely connected stories, it follows a wide cast – immigrants, artists, travellers – whose lives intersect in subtle, often unexpected ways. Van der Keuken blends observational footage with essay-style reflections to create a work that straddles the realms of personal diary, political inquiry and urban portraiture.

The film’s structure mirrors the rhythms of the city itself, shifting from intimate interiors to busy streets, from chance encounters to global currents that flow through Amsterdam’s neighbourhoods. At 247 minutes, its length allows for digression and repetition. Amsterdam Global Village brilliantly captures a moment of change and evolution in the city. Part of Filmoteca's characteristically well programmed Johan van der Keukenseason.