50 Years Feministisch Filmkollektief Cinemien

Eye Filmuseum celebrates the legacy of Feministisch Filmkollektief [Feminist Film Collective] Cinemien (1974–1989), a pioneering film collective that sought to amplify the voices of female filmmakers in the Netherlands. Running from 6 to 25 March, the programme connects the collective’s work to urgent contemporary themes, fostering intergenerational discussions on equality. It will festively open on 8 March, featuring exceptional 16mm projections, rarely screened titles from the Global South, newly restored works, rediscoveries, and the nationwide reissue of Daisies (Věra Chytilová, 1966).

Feministisch Filmkollektief Cinemien was founded fifty years ago, at the height of second-wave feminism. At that time, activist women’s groups sprung up in many cities, striving to change the portrayal of women in films by showing films by and for women. Cinemien played a pioneering role in this struggle in the Netherlands, going on to become a leading international distributor of feminist films. Eye is now putting the activist roots and feminist films of Cinemien’s early years (1974-1989) in the spotlight. By acquiring and distributing films by and about women, Cinemien sought to improve the position of female directors, counteract stereotypical portrayals of women in films and contribute to raising consciousness of female film culture.