Accessibility of Screenings

Are you looking for information about the accessibility of our locations? You can find it in the overview of our venues.

In the dropdown menu of this page, you will find information about the accessibility of the Movies that Matter programme. For example, some films have Closed Captions, and you can watch movies at home with the On Demand programme. Additionally, we offer a selection of films with fewer sensory stimuli.

We strive to make the festival more accessible each year. This year, we have received great support from the Voorall Foundation in The Hague. You can read more about the process here (in Dutch).

Accessibility of the Programme

  • The films on this list are easier to follow because they feature fewer characters and/or less intense scenes. Please note: the topics of the films can still be heavy.

    Films in English

    • Flophouse America – An American documentary about 12-year-old Mikal, who grows up in a hotel room with parents struggling with addiction. The film has fewer sensory stimuli as it is mostly shot in the hotel room and features only three main characters. There are three screenings in smaller screening rooms: on Tuesday 25 March, Wednesday 26 March and Thursday 27 March.
    • You.Sleep.Stay – An American documentary about 81-year-old Fred, who has lived in an institution for 50 years and now has to move. The film has a calm filming style and includes Closed Captions. There is a screening in a smaller screening room on Saturday 29 March.
    • The Damned – n American fiction film set in 1862 during the American Civil War. The film is easier to follow because the English is clearly spoken, and the visuals are relatively calm. There are two screenings in smaller theaters: on Tuesday 25 March, and Thursday 27 March.

    Films in Dutch

    • Blauwe ballen en andere verkrachtingsmythes – This documentary is clearly narrated and filmed in a calm style. However, the topic—sexual violence—is very intense. There is a screening in a smaller screening room on Sunday 23 March.
    • Vlam – A Dutch fiction film about a teenager who is temporarily placed in foster care. The film has clear dialogue and a relatively calm filming style. There are two screenings in smaller screening rooms: on Friday 28 March (including a post-screening discussion) and on Saturday 29 March.

    Films in Other Languages

    • The Coriolis Effect – A climate-focused film from Cape Verde featuring stunning underwater visuals. The spoken languages are Creole and Portuguese. There is a screening in a smaller screening room on Friday March 28, followed by a discussion.
    • Everything is Temporary – A documentary from Myanmar featuring two main characters and a calm filming style. The spoken languages are English, Burmese, and French. There are screenings in smaller theaters on Saturday 22 March, and Friday 28 March.

  • Some films in the selection include English Closed Captions for people with hearing impairments.

    In the programme overview, which lists all films and events, you can click on the ‘Choose Selection’ button. Then, select Closed Captions to see an overview of all films that include Closed Captions.

  • Several films in the selection explore life with a disability.

    • Ik zal zien – An impressive Dutch feature film about 17-year-old Lot, who becomes blind after a fireworks accident.
    • Viktor – A documentary about Viktor, a Ukrainian photographer who is deaf. After the Russian invasion, he wants to go to the front lines as a war photographer.
    • Frames without Borders – 84-hour Film Project – A collection of four short films featuring talented actors and actresses with disabilities.

  • Five films from the programme can be watched at home through our On-Demand platform. When selecting On-Demand films, we prioritised those with Closed Captions and/or audio descriptions whenever possible.

    • You can find the On-Demand films in the programme overview by clicking on the On Demand tab.
    • On this page, you will also find technical details about how to watch On-Demand films.

  • Our website now complies with the WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. However, we want to go further with ongoing developments. During the Movies that Matter Festival 2025, all technical updates and online programmes will be tested by experts with lived experience. We are doing this in collaboration with Stichting Accessibility and Voorall. Based on the results, we can take further steps to become more accessible.

    Read more about our steps towards digital accessibility in this article by our application manager, Jette Malow.