| Golden Calf | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Awarded for | Best infilm andtelevision programs |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Presented by | Nederlands Film Festival |
| First award | 1981 |
| Website | http://www.filmfestival.nl/en  |
TheGolden Calf (Dutch:Gouden Kalf) is the award of theNetherlands Film Festival, which is held annually inUtrecht. The award has been presented since 1981, originally in six categories:Best Actor,Best Actress,Best Feature Film, Best Short Film,Culture Prize and Honourable mention. In 2004, there were 16 award categories, mainly because in 2003 the categoriesBest Cinematography,Best Editing,Best Music,Best Production Design,Best Sound Design were added.
Famous Dutch film makers and actors that have won a Golden Calf includeRutger Hauer,Louis van Gasteren,Paul Verhoeven,Eddy Terstall,Carice van Houten,Felix de Rooy,Fons Rademakers,Martin Koolhoven,Alex van Warmerdam,Fedja van Huêt,Jean van de Velde,Pim de la Parra,Dick Maas,Marleen Gorris,Ian Kerkhof,Jeroen Krabbé,Monic Hendrickx,Rijk de Gooyer,Marwan Kenzari andSteve McQueen (director).
On the one hand, the name refers to an animal as is common in names of European film awards, such as theGolden Bear of theBerlin Film Festival and theGolden Lion of theVenice Film Festival --cattle being one of the most common types of livestock in the Netherlands.[1] On the other hand, the name of the award also refers to the book ofExodus in theBible, where agolden statue of a calf was made byAaron,[2] which was later destroyed byMoses becauseGod prohibits worshipping anything other than the One, True God.[3] Jury member in 2002Martin Koolhoven says the DutchCalvinist culture is more relativizing than proud: "This is why the Golden Calf is such a good prize, because of the wink that is included. Other countries have golden lions and golden bears. We have a golden calf and after all it is sinful to worship it."[1]
In 1995Rijk de Gooyer threw his Golden Calf statuette on the street in the reality TV seriesTaxi (the Dutch version ofTaxicab Confessions), when he was picked up by ataxi after a dissatisfying closing ceremony at theNetherlands Film Festival.[1] In 1999 he letMaarten Spanjer, the host ofTaxi, throw his Golden Calf forScratches in the Table out of the window.
TheGolden Calf Award for Best Interactive is a category presented since 2015. It is awarded to forms of interactive storytelling outside standard film and television like, for instance,VR films,video games, website design, webseries andsocial media projects.[4]
The winners were: