The Dutch Film Festival Dagpas at EUR 29: it wins at your third screening, or at nine euro on a premiere day

From 25 September to 2 October the 46th Nederlands Film Festival takes over Utrecht for eight days, spread across Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Bibliotheek Neude, the Louis Hartlooper Complex and Kinepolis Jaarbeurs, and the ticket office is already open. For a first-time visitor the decision is not which film to watch but which ticket to buy: a single screening at EUR 13.50, or a Dagpas at EUR 29 that covers the whole day. The festival prints both numbers on the same table and leaves the division to you. 29 divided by 13.50 is 2.15, which means the Dagpas only starts being cheaper at your third screening of the day. If you are under 30 or over 65 a single ticket is EUR 8.50, and 29 divided by 8.50 is 3.4, so you would need a fourth. Substitute the number of films you plan to see that day and the answer falls straight out.

• The 46th Nederlands Film Festival runs 25 September to 2 October 2026 in Utrecht, at venues including Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Bibliotheek Neude, the Louis Hartlooper Complex and Kinepolis Jaarbeurs. (source 1)
• Dagpas EUR 29: a whole day of films, series and VR, excluding only NFFx030 and the Volkskrantdag. (source 2)
• A regular film or event ticket is EUR 13.50, or EUR 8.50 for under-30s and over-65s; Storyspace (VR, per time block) EUR 10 / EUR 5; Focustalks EUR 20 / EUR 15; the public opening EUR 15 / EUR 10. (source 2)
• A red-carpet premiere at the Stadsschouwburg is EUR 27.50 on its own and EUR 22.50 reduced, but only a EUR 7.50 supplement including a drink for anyone holding a Dagpas. (source 2)
• Cineville covers regular film, event and Storyspace tickets for free, but not at Kinepolis; U-pas holders pay EUR 1; children under 12 get EUR 5 off; a companion is free. (source 3)

The number that changes the decision is the third one, buried in the premiere line. A premiere on its own is EUR 27.50. A Dagpas plus the supplement is 29 + 7.50, or EUR 36.50. 36.50 minus 27.50 is 9.00: nine euro more buys every other screening in Utrecht that day. So the intuition that a day ticket suits heavy users and single tickets suit a casual visit inverts on a premiere day. The lightest visitor of all, someone coming for one premiere, is the one for whom the Dagpas makes most sense.

Two things have to be clear first, or the arithmetic is useless. One, the festival states that a Dagpas is not an admission ticket: every programme still has to be booked individually online, sold-out screenings only offer a waiting list, and reporting at the venue desk 15 minutes before the start for a last-minute seat carries no guarantee. Two, the Talentpas at EUR 85 and the Professionalspas at EUR 135 are not simply more expensive day tickets; each is tied to who you are, a new maker or someone working in the audiovisual sector. Counted purely in days, 85 divided by 29 is 2.93, which means those two only begin to beat the Dagpas from a third day on.

Where

Utrecht: Stadsschouwburg Utrecht, Bibliotheek Neude, Louis Hartlooper Complex, Kinepolis Jaarbeurs and others

When

25 September to 2 October 2026, eight days

Price

Single screening EUR 13.50 / EUR 8.50 reduced; Dagpas EUR 29; red-carpet premiere EUR 27.50, or a EUR 7.50 supplement with a Dagpas

Ages

The public programme is open to all ages; children under 12 get EUR 5 off; individual programmes carry their own ratings

Booking

Required. A Dagpas is not an admission ticket; every screening is booked separately and sold-out shows have a waiting list

Note

Cineville is not valid at Kinepolis Jaarbeurs, and the Dagpas excludes NFFx030 and the Volkskrantdag

Hokimi field note: if you hold Cineville, check which venue your chosen screenings are in first. Anything at the Louis Hartlooper Complex or Bibliotheek Neude is free with the card, and only the Kinepolis screenings have to be bought, which may remove the need for the Dagpas altogether.