Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax, also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or commonly Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax is the most successful club in the Netherlands, with 36 Eredivisie titles and 20 KNVB Cups. It has continuously played in the Eredivisie since the league's inception in 1956, and along with Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven, it is one of the country's "big three" clubs that have dominated that competition.
The foreign policy of the Netherlands is based on four basic commitments: to the Atlantic cooperation, to European integration, to international development and to international law. While historically the Kingdom of the Netherlands was a neutral state, since 1945 it has become a member of NATO, the United Nations, the European Union and many other international organizations. The Dutch economy is very open and relies on international trade. During and after the 17th century—its Golden Age—the Dutch built up a commercial and colonial empire. It was a leading shipping and naval power and was often at war with England, its main rival. Its main colonial holding was Indonesia, which fought for and achieved independence after 1945. The historical ties inherited from its colonial past still influence the foreign relations of the Netherlands. Foreign trade policy is handled by the European Union. The Dutch have been active in international peacekeeping roles.
Tom Holkenborg, also known as Junkie XL, is a Dutch composer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, producer, and engineer. Originally known for his trance productions, he has moved to producing electronica and big beat music and film scores. His remix of Elvis Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" became a worldwide hit in 2002.
Theodoor "Theo" van Gogh was a Dutch film director. He directed Submission: Part 1, a short film written by Somali writer and politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali, which criticised the treatment of women in Islam in strong terms. On 2 November 2004, he was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri, a Dutch-Moroccan Islamist who objected to the film's message. The last film Van Gogh had completed before his murder, 06/05, was a fictional exploration of the assassination of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn. It was released posthumously in December 2004, a month after Van Gogh's death, and two years after Fortuyn's death.
Cinema of the Netherlands refers to the film industry based in the Netherlands. Because the Dutch film industry is relatively small, and there is little or no international market for Dutch films, almost all films rely on state funding. This funding can be achieved through several sources, for instance through the Netherlands Film Fund or the public broadcast networks. In recent years the Dutch Government has established several tax shelters for private investments in Dutch films.
Najwa Nimri Urrutikoetxea is a Spanish actress and singer.
Black Book is a 2006 war drama thriller film co-written and directed by Paul Verhoeven, and starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman and Halina Reijn. The film, credited as based on several true events and characters, is about a young Jewish woman in the Netherlands who becomes a spy for the resistance during World War II after tragedy befalls her in an encounter with the Nazis. The film had its world premiere on 1 September 2006 at the Venice Film Festival and its public release on 14 September 2006 in the Netherlands. It is the first film that Verhoeven made in his native Netherlands since The Fourth Man, made in 1983 before he moved to the United States.
Halina Reijn is a Dutch actress, writer and film director.
Michiel Huisman is a Dutch actor, musician, and singer-songwriter, recognized for his roles in Dutch and international film and television projects.
Katja Schuurman is a Dutch actress, singer and television personality.
Godforsaken is a 2003 Dutch drama film directed by Pieter Kuijpers from a screenplay he co-wrote with Paul Jan Nelissen. It stars Tygo Gernandt, Angela Schijf, and Egbert Jan Weeber.
Father's Affair is a 2003 Dutch drama film directed by Maarten Treurniet, written by Kees van Beijnum and starring Peter Paul Muller, Carice van Houten and Halina Reijn. based on the book of the same name by Karel Glastra van Loon.
Yes Nurse! No Nurse! is a 2002 Dutch comedy musical film written and directed by Pieter Kramer and co-written by Frank Houtappels, based on the 1966 television show by Annie M.G. Schmidt and Harry Bannink.
50PLUS is a political party in the Netherlands that advocates pensioners' interests with a centrist political line. The party was founded in 2009 by Maurice Koopman, Alexander Münninghoff and Jan Nagel.
James Edward Costa is an American actor, voice actor, writer and director. He gained international attention for his impersonation of Robin Williams. He made his film debut in the crime-thriller film, Bring Him to Me.
Janieck van de Polder, better known by his stage name Janieck Devy or just the mononym Janieck, is a Dutch singer-songwriter, musician and actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Pluk in the 2004 film Tow Truck Pluck and the single "Reality" by Lost Frequencies, in which he took the melody, guitar, vocals and lyrics into account.
Johan Nijenhuis is a Dutch film producer, director and screenwriter.
Johannes Alexander "Hans" Vijlbrief is a Dutch civil servant, economist, and politician, currently serving as a member of parliament for the social-liberal party Democrats 66 (D66). He previously served as State Secretary for the Extractive Industries in the Fourth Rutte cabinet.
