When is the festival taking place in 2019?
The festival will take place in two locations this year: on July 31 ‑August 1 at the new site Vrijhaven located at Nijverheidsweg 6 in Utrecht, and on August 14‑24 at the Stenen Hoofd in Amsterdam.
Vrijhaven Utrecht:
Stenen Hoofd Amsterdam:
What time does the film start?
As soon as it starts to get dark, around 21.00h, things start off with a short film. When the sun has set, the feature film will start. To be assured of a good spot you can reserve a seat online, and if you arrive on time there will be plenty of other seats to be found around the terrain.
What are the opening hours?
In Utrecht, the bar and the outside seating open at 18.00h on Wednesday–Saturday. On Sunday August 4 there will be an edition for the kids (Pluk MINI) and we will open at 15.00h. In Amsterdam, the festival grounds are open daily from 16.00h. During Pluk MINI on August 18 we open at 14.00h.
Is there an entrance fee?
Admission to Pluk de Nacht in Utrecht and Amsterdam is free. You can support Pluk by buying a beer at the bar, reserving a deckchair or dropping something in the donation box. Please note: the Pluk bars as well as the blanket rental are pin-only. The food trucks do accept cash!
How can I rent a deckchair?
You can book a seat online, simply by choosing the city, date and amount of your choice. You donation helps to make the festival possible! Are there no more chairs available through the website? Not to worry, there are usually plenty of patio chairs left in front of the bars. You can also rent a blanket at the location (pin only!). It’s greatly appreciated if you return your deckchair and blanket after the movie.
What kind of films should I expect?
All of the films at Pluk de Nacht have had great success at big international festivals, but still never reached Dutch theatres. Pluk de Nacht shows remarkable documentaries, animation, short and feature films that were not release in the Netherlands or, if they were, only reached a small audience.
What if it rains?
The show will always go on, so if the rain does pour down, the screening will continue inside.
Which languages and subtitles are used?
All films are either English spoken or have English subtitles. On rare occasions there might be a film in Dutch without English subtitles. Look at any film’s description for the audio or subtitle language.
How can I support Pluk de Nacht?
You can book a seat and make a donation that way. By buying a drink or snack at the bar, you’ll also help the festival. You can follow the festival on Facebook and Instagram or by signing up for the newsletter (Dutch only).
Is there something to eat and drink available?
Yes, Pluk de Nacht will provide a stuffed bar and tasty bites to fill all hungry tummies. Read more about this at Food & Drinks.
Note that the bars are pin-only; the food trucks do take cash.
May I bring my own?
You may, within reason. Please keep in mind that Pluk de Nacht’s continued existence depends on people buying a drink at our bar. If you decide to bring your own, please clean up the litter.
Where is Pluk de Nacht located?
Ever since the very first edition in Amsterdam, Pluk de Nacht has taken place at the Stenen Hoofd, an old pier in the former harbour in the IJ river in Amsterdam-West. In Utrecht you can find us at a beautiful new location at the Nijverheidsweg 4.
Where can I park my bike?
There are bike racks on and around the festival site. Please do not park your bike outside of these racks and especially don’t leave it where it might block the festival entrance.
Is there anything else I need to know?
Pluk de Nacht expects nothing else from you than what is common sense. Safety is most important, so please help us in keeping emergency exits free. It would be greatly appreciated if you place your empty beer bottles in the collection crates, throw garbage in the bins and return your chairs.
Origins
The festival was started in 2003 by a small group of friends with a great love of film. Their goal was – and remains to this day – to give as many people as possible the chance to discover films that passed Dutch audiences by unnoticed. These friends worked at a movie theatre part-time and attended film festivals in their spare time. The thrill they got from the films they saw there was hard to share with others, since many of them were never released in the Netherlands and remained largely unseen. That was the seed that sprouted into Pluk de Nacht. Amsterdam’s one true open air film festival shows those films, that never made it to Dutch cinemas or only reached a very small audience.
Surprising programme
The organisation visits (inter)national film festivals throughout the year and carefully selects films on their cinematographic merits. That is why you can find all types of film at Pluk de Nacht: from animation to road movie, from tragic small-town documentary to absurd romantic comedy. Year after year, the programming is stirring and surprising, with live events, short film programmes and titles yet to be discovered in the low countries.
Dedicated volunteers
Since the beginning in 2003 and to this day, the festival has been organised and set up by a large group of volunteers who put all their creativity into the festival. Starting two weeks before the festival, they help to sweep up the location and turn it into a cozy festival paradise. Pluk is no longer just in Amsterdam: in 2018, Pluk will be in Utrecht for the fifth year in a row.
Admission free
Pluk de Nacht has grown to become a true meeting place and combines the screening of never-before-released films with art, food, drinks and parties. By creating a platform to many young creatives, the festival has more to offer besides just the movies. Admission to the open air film festival is is free at all locations. Why don’t you swing by this summer?
