Hoyte van Hoytema is officially the first Dutch cameraman to win an Oscar. During Sunday night’s star-studded ceremony, he claimed the top prize for his cinematography for Oppenheimer.

The epic spectacle about the so-called father of the atomic bomb was the big winner of the night, picking up seven awards.

Remember his name (it’s pretty catchy)

Hoyte van Hoytema has already won a BAFTA and the American Society of Cinematographers prize for his work in Oppenheimer — but who is the decorated Dutchie?

Born in Switzerland to Dutch parents, van Hoytema mastered his craft at the Łódź National Film School in Poland after being rejected by the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam ().

READ MORE | Eye Filmmuseum: An unmissable experience for every movie lover

This is not the only time the Oscars recognised his incredible cinematography. He earned his first nomination for Dunkirk in 2017, also directed by Christopher Nolan.

The frequent collaborators are adventurous cameramen, choosing to shoot on heavy but SUPER high-resolution IMAX cameras. These were placed on top of the actors’ faces for the ultimate cinematic intimacy.

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Was it worth it? Well, the Oppenheimer trophy cabinet is certainly gleaming.

In addition to being crowned Best Picture, the Oppenheimer team also won awards for Directing (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr. — surprisingly his first ever!), Original Score (Ludwig Goransson) and Editing (Jennifer Lame). 

Reaching new Hoyte-s 

If van Hoytema is one of the few Dutchies to take home an iconic statue, what else can be said for the Netherlands’ silver-screen success?

In total, 11 Dutch nationals have won an Oscar. The most recent was Erik-Jan de Boer for his work on visual effects for Life of Pi in 2013. 

The first Oscar ever won by a Dutchie went to King of Jazz art director Herman Rosse all the way back in 1930 — and did you know Rosse also designed the interior of the Peace Palace?!

Cinema styles of old were coincidentally on van Hoytema’s agenda last night — he took his acceptance speech as a chance to encourage more celluloid filmmaking in this digital age. 

Congratulations to Hoyte, and here’s to more Dutch cinema silverware in the future!

Did you watch Oppenheimer or other van Hoytema projects? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Multiple arrests were made following demonstrations in Amsterdam against the Israeli President’s visit to the opening of the National Holocaust Museum.

President Isaac Herzog, who has controversially claimed that “the entire nation” of Gaza is responsible for Hamas’ October 7 terror attack, attended the opening ceremony of Amsterdam’s National Holocaust Museum yesterday.

As you can imagine, it wasn’t a quiet affair.

Hundreds of demonstrators

Nearly 1,000 demonstrators awaited Herzog’s arrival, and demonstrations took place in multiple locations, including outside the museum’s doors.

And they made their presence known.

As the opening ceremony took place, boos, whistles, and the shouting of slogans could be heard.

As the Israeli president and King Willem-Alexander entered and exited the museum, they were met with more booing.

Stones thrown and arrests made

While the police have described the protests as going “well and peacefully”, not everyone stuck to just booing.

According to RTL Nieuws, stones were also thrown, and police vans were climbed and attacked.

As a result, riot police were deployed, and they made 13 arrests. The demonstrations were disbanded shortly afterwards.

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It’s a Friday, it’s sunny, and nothing could possibly go wrong today… right? Wrong, say the NS and ProRail.

We apologise in advance to all commuters, but the NS expects “significant adjustments” to the timetable on various rail routes around Schiphol today.

Just how significant is “significant”? Well, as a ProRail spokesperson tells the NOS, around one hundred trains will be cancelled between the hours of 5:20 AM and 3:15 PM.

As such, this timetable adjustment will not only affect Schiphol, but almost the entire Randstad, too.

But… why?

The reason for this Friday morning mess? Rail work, of course.

Over the past two weeks, ProRail has been renewing some tracks around Schiphol Airport.

Among other things, the workers have replaced switches in the railway tunnel and checked the lighting and technical installations to make sure everything works smoothly.

This is all part of bigger renovation work being done on the Schiphol tunnel.

The only problem? Since no trains have run over the tracks for the past two weeks, ProRail cannot immediately let normal trains run over them.

Instead, they’ll need to remove the rust from the rails — and that’s what’s happening today.

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Great news! Time to dust off your sunglasses, as spring is set to arrive in the Netherlands with a spell of dry and sunny days this weekend.

In fact, ditch your winter coats as well, warmer weather is also on the horizon, making a change from the infamous cold Dutch downpours.

READ MORE | Dutch quirk #47: Complain about the weather non-stop

The sun is already shining and the temperature is finally into the double figures. Well, just about. 

Today, it will be about 10 degrees today, and a few clouds remain, but Buienradar confirms there will also be plenty of blue skies to enjoy.

In het zuiden wisselen zon en stapelwolken elkaar af. In het noorden is er meer bewolking aanwezig, maar ook daar lost de bewolking geleidelijk wat op. Hoe ziet het er morgen uit?! Check: https://t.co/GOcfh0MsTO pic.twitter.com/KtO41mpMWb

— Buienradar (@BuienRadarNL) March 6, 2024

Translation: In the south, sun and cumulus clouds alternate. There are more clouds in the north, but the clouds are gradually dissipating. What will it look like tomorrow?!

The weekend is warming up

It just gets better — by tomorrow there won’t be a cloud in the sky.

And Saturday? It will feel HOT (by Dutch standards, at least), with southerly regions set to enjoy temperatures as high as 16 degrees. 

No fear, the north won’t be far behind at a (slightly balmy) 13 degrees.

READ MORE | Visit the Japanese Garden in the Hague this spring

We can’t believe it! And maybe for good reason… 

Helaas, the clouds will creep back from Sunday onwards, and they threaten to bring some rain with them. 

You know what that means: you better embrace the spring in your step this weekend and make the most of it!

What’s your favourite way to spend sunny spring days in the Netherlands? Let us know in the comments!

The Netherlands is known for many things: windmills, canals, and oh yeah, ASML. Now, the world-renowned company has hinted at moving its operations elsewhere — but why?

Let’s just say, it’s not as simple as the company wanting to “find itself.”

The main reason: ASML needs more staff

You’d think that with such a huge population in such a small surface area, the tech giant would have no problem finding sufficient staff for its operations, but it’s not that simple.

The company requires highly skilled technical employees to keep its wheels turning, and they can’t all be sourced among the Dutch.

READ MORE | 13 companies in the Netherlands that hire internationals in 2024

In fact, according to ASML CEO Peter Wennink, 60% of its employees come from abroad. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for ASML to find such international employees.

Why? According to the NOS, one reason is due to a change in the way international workers are taxed in the Netherlands.

The 30% ruling is on the way out

One huge benefit of working as a skilled international in the Netherlands used to be the 30% ruling.

As part of this ruling, highly skilled highly skilled and eligible expats could receive 30% of their income tax-free for five years.

READ MORE | 7 innovative Dutch projects for a sustainable future

However, as of 2024, this has changed. Instead, the amount has been reduced to 30% for the first 20 months, 20% for the following 20 months, and then 10% for the final 20 months.

In turn this means that fewer highly skilled internationals are encouraged to work in the Netherlands for companies like ASML.

However, it’s not just high taxes that are leading to problems for ASML.

Remember the housing crisis?

The struggle to find housing in the Netherlands is very real in 2024, and ASML employees are not immune to it.

READ MORE | Why is there a housing shortage in the Netherlands? The Dutch housing crisis explained

In fact, employees have been struggling so much to find housing that ASML has resorted to buying up housing and getting involved in housing construction projects to try and ease the crisis faced by its employees.

The result? ASML aren’t impressed

While ASML hasn’t outright announced that it will be leaving the Netherlands. It has been dropping some worrying hints.

In January, Winnink made a worrying remark:

“You see all kinds of movements that make it more difficult for internationally operating companies that need international talent, for example, to do business in the Netherlands.”

As a result, sources in The Hague tell RTL Nieuws that the outgoing cabinet has sprung into action.

A plan to prevent the company’s departure is being drawn up under the code name Beethoven.

This doesn’t mean a complete departure

However, these hints don’t mean that there will be a complete departure of ASML from the Netherlands.

Jos Versteeg, analyst at InsingerGilissen tells RTL Nieuws that the company upping shop and leaving is “very unlikely.”

That being said, Jim Tehupuring, investment expert at 1 Vermogensbeheer, tells RTL Nieuws that he does see at least part of the company shifting to another country.

He just doesn’t know “whether that is 30% or 70%.”

Regardless of what the company decides to do, there is one thing we can be sure of: any move will take time. Years in fact, according to Tehupuring.

What do you think of ASML’s hints? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!

LeydenJar, a Dutch manufacturer developing batteries that can store huge amounts of energy, has announced that it will open its first factory in Eindhoven. 

The young innovators shared plans to begin production in 2026, as they continue to create the world’s most energy-dense battery.

LeydenJar’s super-chargers might be small, but they’re extremely powerful!

What does LeydenJar do?

LeydenJar started in solar technology, before a failing project proved more hopeful in the battery world. 

READ MORE | 7 innovative Dutch projects for a sustainable future

Now they are focused on their greater, greener vision: the “battery of the future” — a battery that holds twice the amount of energy and can be recharged in just 5 minutes. 

Better battery life means longer driving ranges, shorter charging times, and vastly increased functionality for all electrical goods. Fully charged phone in just a few minutes? Ja, please!

Speedy, superior AND sustainable

LeydenJar’s new Eindhoven home, the PlantOne factory, will produce enough power to fuel four million smartphones annually. So, how are they contributing to a greener future? 

Well, their flagship anodes (a part of the battery) are made of pure silicon (AKA one of the most useful elements to humankind) instead of conventional graphite-based batteries.

This means they can store up to 70% more energy.

READ MORE | 13 forward-thinking things Dutch people do

Higher energy density and thinner designs are the key here — and a single charge lasts much longer.

Even better, the climate change impact of LeydenJar’s production is decreased by up to 85% when compared to regular batteries.

With its new Eindhoven factory, LeydenJar will continue its mission to reduce society’s greenhouse gas emissions, working towards the EU goal of being net zero by 2050.

Do you currently own an electric or hybrid vehicle in the Netherlands? Tell us in the comments below!

With Easter steadily approaching, many of us may be keen on getting our fill of delicious Easter stollen. Unfortunately, if you bought one from a Jumbo supermarket, you may need to hit the brakes on that thought!

In a recent press release, Jumbo warned that some of its feeststollen (party stollen) may contain potentially carcinogenic compounds.

Yikes, which stollen?

If you’ve recently purchased a La Place Kleine Feest Stol (Small Party Stollen) with Amarena cherries, pistachio, and hazelnuts… well, you’d best be asking for a refund.

Product: “La Place Luxe Kleine Feeststol met Amarena Kers, Pistache & Hazelnoten 400g”
EAN code: 8718452752058
Best before: March 6, 2024 and March 12, 2024

If you’ve bought this stollen at the store or online and would like your money back, you can simply pop back and hand it over — no receipt needed!

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It’s official: Dutch train troubles will continue as forecasted, with ongoing inconveniences expected to last for YEARS to come.

Oh, and if you’re planning any days out in Amersfoort this summer, you might want to think again. More on that later.

Big project, big consequences

As part of joint renovation works by ProRail and the NS, various Dutch rail routes are due for work over the coming years.

Huge expanses of track are being replaced, and the resulting disruptions for passengers are major.

As ProRail CEO John Voppen tells NU.nl, “after forty years, everything has to be replaced” — and the peak of work will take a whopping six years to occur.

READ MORE | NS unveils massive timetable change for 2025

Why so long? The delays are mainly down to staff shortages, meaning more work has to be carried out during the day and outside of holidays.

Oh, and Amersfoort will be completely inaccessible

The planned track works will affect one city in the Netherlands significantly more than others this summer. 

A major maintenance project taking place in Amersfoort between July and August means few or no trains will be running for seven weeks.

First up, trains between Amersfoort and Amsterdam will stop running for four weeks. Then, in mid-July, there will be no trains between Amersfoort and Utrecht.

There will be three whole weeks where Amersfoort will be completely inaccessible by train. You’ve got to feel for the approximately 80,000 travellers from, via or to Amersfoort every day.

READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #26: Complain about the NS

The work starts on Thursday, July 4, and will go on until Monday, August 19 — when all trains should run accordingly again. 

ProRail ensures it will provide more information “in a timely manner,” but as far as we can see, their updates about the “period, nature and duration of the work” are still stuck in 2023…

Has your 2024 commuting experience got off to a bad start? We feel you. Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Netherlands has officially presented its song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 and, dare I say, we might just have a chance of taking that trophy home.

Joost Klein, a 26-year-young man from Leeuwarden, will represent the Netherlands this year.

Known for his unique, funky vibe, the rapper’s Eurovision song, “Europapa,” combines catchy beats with a sense of nostalgia — and people are here for it.

Breaking records

Within 24 hours of its release, “Europapa” was streamed more than 1.6 million times on Spotify.

With this, Klein has broken the Dutch record for the most Spotify streams in one day of any song ever released.

As Klein tells Eurovision, his song is a tribute to his dead father, who taught him that there should be no limits to his dreams.

“‘Europapa’ is about an orphan who travels through Europe to find himself and tell his story. At first, people don’t recognise him, but he goes on seizing any opportunity he gets to let himself be seen.”

Ready to hear it? (WARNING: This will be stuck in your head all week. )

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place from May 7 to 11 in Malmö, Sweden — mark your calendars!

What do you think of the Netherlands’ 2024 Eurovision song? Share your thoughts in the comments!

If you have ever had to deal with the Dutch housing market, whether as a renter or a buyer, you’ll know that the situation is, well… bleak.

How bleak, you ask? Calcasa, a company that specialises in the analysis of the Dutch real estate market, has crunched the numbers to find out how much income is required to buy an “average” house in the Netherlands.

And the results are… discouraging.

More than two average salaries needed

To get to its final number, Calcasa based its study on a dual-income household with no student debt, no deposit of their own money, and a house with energy labels E, F, or G.

They also took into account the current average mortgage interest rate of 3.75% without NHG (National Mortgage Guarantee) and 3.25% with NHG.

READ MORE | Why is there a housing shortage in the Netherlands? The Dutch housing crisis explained

Considering that the average price for a home in the Netherlands is €452,000, the household type above would need to earn an average of a whopping €95,000 gross per year to be able to afford one of them.

If you want to purchase in Amsterdam, that number climbs to €120,000.

READ MORE | Salaries in the Netherlands: the ultimate guide to Dutch wages

Here’s where it gets good (…not): According to the Dutch Central Planning Bureau, the expected average Dutch annual salary in 2024 will stand at €42,236. 

So, yes, even two average salaries would not be sufficient to buy an average home in the Netherlands.

Income requirements vary by municipality

As with everything, there are big differences between the municipalities when it comes to housing prices.

Taking the crown for the least affordable municipality in the Netherlands is not Amsterdam (shocker), but instead the municipalities of Bloemendaal, Laren and Blaricum.

READ MORE | Buying a house in the Netherlands: extra costs you need to know

Never heard of those places? You’re not alone. Yet still, the average value of a house in these municipalities is above €1 million, and you’d need to make more than €200,000 a year to afford one of them.

Curious how much money you need to earn to go from renter to owner in your municipality? Check out the numbers for the 20 biggest Dutch municipalities.

Would you ever consider buying a house in the Netherlands? Share your thoughts in the comments!