Filmtheater 't Hoogt

Filmtheater 't Hoogt, also known as Theater 't Hoogt or simply 't Hoogt, was a pioneering art-house cinema and stage in the Dutch city of Utrecht. It opened in 1973 in seven restored monumental buildings on the street Het Hoogt, making it the first film house (filmhuis) in the Netherlands. The buildings had been restored in the early 1970s by the Utrechts Monumentenfonds. Huub Bals, a former employee of the Utrecht cinema Wolff Camera, was appointed as its first director. He was succeeded in 1980 by Henk Camping. In 2012 Friederieke Weisner became director with a mandate to relocate 't Hoogt together with the library to a new cultural centre (Bieb++) at Smakkelaarsveld, but the city council voted down that plan. In March 2016 Rianne Brouwers became director. The venue comprised two film auditoriums and a theatre hall. The stage opened half a year after the film activities, on 20 June 1973. As a theatre it proved uncomfortable for both users and audiences. At the end of 1991 Theater 't Hoogt lost its municipal subsidy and closed in 1992; Otto Valkman was the last programmer/director. The theatre hall was subsequently converted into a third film auditorium. In total the cinema had 212 seats across three screens and screened both 35mm and digitised films. A café was attached to 't Hoogt. The cinema relied partly on volunteers. On 30 December 2018 Filmtheater 't Hoogt closed its doors after 46 years, because the owner decided to convert the buildings into apartments. The organisation continued under the name Hoogt on Tour, screening films at various locations in Utrecht while awaiting a new venue elsewhere in the city. That location was to be the former Central Studios on Gietijzerstraat under the name De Machinerie from 2023, but the project was halted prematurely due to cost overruns. The conversion of the old location into apartments did not go ahead, and in early 2020 the owner Utrechts Monumentenfonds and filmmaker Jos Stelling signed an agreement to establish a new cinema in the empty buildings. In 2022 this opened as Slachtstraat Filmtheater.

Filmtheater 't Hoogt was located in the city centre of Utrecht on the street Het Hoogt and consisted of seven monumental buildings. These buildings were restored in the early 1970s by the Utrechts Monumentenfonds. 't Hoogt opened in 1973 in the restored buildings, making it the first film house in the Netherlands. Huub Bals, a former employee of the Utrecht cinema Wolff Camera, was appointed as director at the start. He was succeeded in 1980 by Henk Camping. In 2012 Friederieke Weisner followed, tasked with bringing 't Hoogt together with the library to a new cultural centre (Bieb++) at Smakkelaarsveld, but that plan was voted down by the city council. In March 2016 Rianne Brouwers became director of 't Hoogt. There were two film auditoriums and a theatre hall. The stage opened half a year after the film activities, on 20 June 1973. In terms of facilities it proved an uncomfortable theatre for both users and audiences. At the end of 1991 Theater 't Hoogt lost its municipal subsidy and closed in 1992. Otto Valkman was the last programmer/director. The theatre hall was subsequently turned into a third film auditorium. On 30 December 2018 Filmtheater 't Hoogt closed its doors after 46 years, because the owner decided to convert the buildings into apartments. The organisation continued under the name Hoogt on Tour, with film screenings at various locations in Utrecht, to bridge the period until a new location elsewhere in the city was ready. That location was to be the former Central Studios on Gietijzerstraat under the name De Machinerie from 2023. However, due to cost overruns the project was halted prematurely. The conversion of the old location into apartments did not go ahead, and in early 2020 owner Utrechts Monumentenfonds and filmmaker Jos Stelling signed an agreement to establish a new cinema in the empty buildings. In 2022 this Slachtstraat Filmtheater opened. 't Hoogt ran partly on volunteers. The cinema had a total of 212 seats spread over three film auditoriums. Both 35mm and digitised films were shown. A café was also attached to 't Hoogt.

• 2023

  Planned relocation to De Machinerie at former Central Studios is halted due to cost overruns.

• 2022

  Slachtstraat Filmtheater opens in the former 't Hoogt buildings.

• 2020

  Utrechts Monumentenfonds and filmmaker Jos Stelling sign agreement to establish a new cinema in the empty buildings.

• 2018

  Filmtheater 't Hoogt closes on 30 December after 46 years; organisation continues as Hoogt on Tour.

• 2016

  Rianne Brouwers becomes director in March.

• 2012

  Friederieke Weisner becomes director.

• 1992

  Theater 't Hoogt closes; theatre hall later converted into a third film auditorium.

• 1991

  Theater 't Hoogt loses municipal subsidy at the end of the year.

• 1980

  Henk Camping succeeds Huub Bals as director.

• 1973

  Filmtheater 't Hoogt opens in restored buildings, becoming the first film house in the Netherlands.

• 1973

  Theatre stage opens on 20 June.

First film house in the Netherlands; a cultural cinema and stage in central Utrecht.

• Film screenings

  35mm and digitised films shown across three auditoriums.

• Theatre performances

  Stage opened on 20 June 1973; closed in 1992.

• Café

  A café was attached to the cinema.

1. 1Filmtheater 't Hoogt - Wikipedianl.wikipedia.org
2. 2Filmtheater 't Hoogt - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3de Sien - De community cinema van Utrecht.desienfilm.nl