The Roze Filmpicks by Elmer
Which trailers from the Roze Filmdagen 2026 programme pique the interest of this rapper?
Elmer, alter ego of the rapper and actress Merel Pauw, plays with expectations surrounding gender, sound and appearance in her unashamed performances. Using humour, self-deprecation and sharp lyrics, she challenges the norm. With her debut single "Je Vader", she went viral in 2021 and made her breakthrough on the Dutch music scene. Her debut album Platland was released in 2024 and earned her an Edison Award for 'Best Newcomer' in 2025. We asked her which trailers inspire her.
Discover them here
"A sweet, funny and awkward film (with absurd twists!) about the things people do to maintain a connection with those they love. A black comedy about two friends who have both lost their twin brothers and seek a similar connection in each other."
An original black comedy, winner at Sundance festival
Friday the 20th of March 16:00 | Ketelhuis 1 > Tickets
Monday the 23rd of March 21:00 | Ketelhuis 1 > Tickets
About the film:
Welcome at the support group for twinless twins.
This dark and sexy comedy finds a charming odd couple pairing between straight Roman and gay Dennis, two men who meet at a support group for people who have lost their twin. Roman and Dennis both search for solace and an identity without their other halves and soon become inseparable outside the group.
"I’m going to spoil the film’s premise straight away, because it’s so good you’ll want to watch it immediately: a stupid girl kicks a trans woman out of the bathroom because she claims she isn’t a ‘real woman’, whereupon the trans woman casts a spell on her so that she loses her vagina and only gets it back when she finds someone who loves her 100%. How brilliant is that? The anti-J.K. Rowling version of Beauty and the Beast. Love it."
A candy-coloured and hilarious fairy tale, with a message
Friday the 20th of March 21:00 | Ketelhuis 3 > Tickets
Tuesday the 24th of March 21:00 | Ketelhuis 2 > Tickets
About the film:
When the vapid influencer Ena, whose life is laser-focused on brand endorsements and vanity, starts insulting a trans woman one day, she soon realises this was a pretty bad idea. It turns out that the trans woman is a powerful fairy and she activates a curse.
The next morning, Ena wakes up without a vagina, but with a magical flower that may lift the curse.
"De Trut means a lot to me and my friends. As an 18-year-old girl with dreams of becoming a DJ but no skills to speak of, I was allowed to spin records there. It’s been brilliant to learn more about the history behind this iconic venue, the lovely people behind the bar, and the close-knit community I get to be a part of every Sunday. Queer people really are superheroes."
A closer look at the community members behind this Amsterdam LGBTQ+ institution
Sunday the 22nd of March 18:30 | Ketelhuis 1 > Tickets
About the documentary:
De Trut is a household name in Amsterdam; a queer party that has been organized here every Sunday evening for 40 years, 100% by volunteers. The profits are used to subsidize LGBTQ+ projects worldwide. On the occasion of the anniversary, filmmaker P!m Mookhoek was allowed to make recordings within the walls of De Trut for the first time, delving into the lives of ten people who work or have worked at De Trut, dance, or are supported by the fund.
This documentary reviews a varied collection of portraits and demonstrates what De Trut means and has meant to many people.
This special De Trut-community screening (obviously on a Sunday night) shall be complemented by more stories from the past years, before the die-hards can take their place in the notorious queue on Bilderdijkstraat.
Roze Filmdagen PLUS:
Following this screening, Dickey Heerkens will moderate an after-talk with (former) 'Trutters'.
"Combine the warm, sultry atmosphere of La Vie d’Adèle (but without the creepy director), the exceptionally long shooting schedule of Boyhood, and the lovingly complex female relationships and friendships of Frances Ha, and you get this film. A world to lose yourself in, which stays with you afterwards like a memory you feel you’ve experienced yourself."
Examining the adolescence, friendship and love between Gen-Z women
Monday the 23rd of March 18:30 | Ketelhuis 2 > Tickets
Friday the 27th of March 21:00 | Ketelhuis 2 > Tickets
About the film:
The film, shot over eight years, follows the protagonist, Leonie. She and Marlene are best friends.
But then Leonie falls in love with Naomi, and as she dedicates herself to her first love, she realizes how isolated she has become.
She leaves Berlin and begins training as a gardener in Brandenburg, hoping to sort out her feelings.
"A brilliant film, beautifully crafted and performed. A Western-style tale set in a small desert town where AIDS is slowly taking hold. It remains important – and indescribably sad – to learn about the consequences of the AIDS crisis: a time I didn’t experience myself, but which left a deep mark on the queer community."
Award-winning unique modern Western
Friday the 27th of March 21:00 | Ketelhuis 2 > Tickets
Saturday the 28th of March 13:30 | Ketelhuis 3 > Tickets
About the film:
1982. Twelve-year-old Lidia lives in a desert town in northern Chile with her loving, alternative family; a trans and queer community that runs the local saloon. Flamingo, the star of Mama Boa's variety shows, is at the centre of the outrage when an unknown and deadly disease begins to spread and the alternative community is blamed.
According to legend, the disease is transmitted between two men through a simple glance when they fall in love.
A whirlwind of desire, punk, fantasy and betrayal
Sunday the 22nd of March 13:30 | Ketelhuis 2 > Tickets
Sunday the 29th of March 13:30 | Ketelhuis 3 > Tickets
About the film:
Cara de Ángel fights for his place in the barrio’s pack, where manhood is tested in a whirl of desire, punk, fantasy, and betrayal. To prove his manhood, he joins a robbery; however, driven by his hormones and his attraction to both Gabriela, a girl from the neighborhood, and Johnny, a punk singer, his plans will change.
His impulsive choices will lead to betrayal, and the loss of his innocence.
A high-energy and raw coming-of-age story that is based on a popular novel.