For years, the American writer, journalist Adrian Nicole LeBlanc observed families in the Bronx. For them it is hard to imagine a futre. Tom Gilling, from Australia, and LeBlanc will prophecy the future of their continent. Will Australia orientate on Asia, or on the western world? Moderated by Michaël Zeeman. English spoken. Meer details bekijken

How do the Dutch animated film makers see the future? Animation is the perfect, simple medium by which to create a new world . A specially composed film programme with authentic, extreme and mild musings on the future. Including 'Dada' (Piet Kroon, 10'00'', 1994, the Netherlands), about high expectations that parents demand of their children; 'Oh my Darling' by Børge Ring (09'00", 1978, the Netherlands), a film of suffocating parental love; 'Escape from Paradise' by Freark Boersma (10'00'', 2002) a film about technical developments and the fight of man to control them, and 'The Rise and fall of the legendary Anglo Billy Fevesen' by Rosto (10.00", 2002, the Netherlands), in which a modern Icarus searches for another world. Meer details bekijken

After growing up in Surinam the poets Antoine de Kom and Raj Ramdas chose a future in the Netherlands. However the Surinamese author Tessa Leuwsha - her debut novel wil appear in 2004 - grew up in the Netherlands, and chose a future in the country of her parents, Surinam. Three authors discuss the role that the Netherlands and Surinam play in their work. What are the dreams and ideals that are important for them? Meer details bekijken

A futuristic continualy running program with seven short films that present an image of America's view of the future between 1940 and 1964. It starts with the World Exhibition of 1939-1940 and ends with the World Exhibition of Seattle (1964). In dazzling Technicolour the houshold robots take over the chores of the housewife and a Futurama of 1940 shows a vivid future image of a typical American town in 1960. Furthermore images of futuristic 'killer car's', full automatic kitchens, fashion and the furniture of Eames, Saarinen and Bertoia, that without a problem made the transition towards the 21th century in videoclips and commercials, but also in the living room, where it still radiates the futuristic air of that time. Get ready for the wonderful new world of the future! (90 minutes, English-language) Meer details bekijken

The South-African hiphop group Dice Lordz consists of the twins Sanele and Harnashe Langa and Bhekithemba Mahlambi. This trio from the township of Kwa Mashu, near Durban, combines hiphop with strong texts about social issues. Meer details bekijken

In the foyer of the theater is a large cristal ball. Visual artists Bie Muusze and Rens Noorman have made specially for Winterrnachten a video installation in the ball and on a large projection screen on the wall. The installation consists of continual images about literature, the future and dreams. At unexpected moments the ball demands extra attention. Meer details bekijken

The Poetry School organizes together with Winternachten a writers contest, involving two secondary schools from The Hague, the Johan de Witt College and the Terracollege. A special lesson program inspires hundreds of pupils to write poems about their vision of the future and their ideals. During a Poetry Slam session in the Theater aan het Spui, preceding the festival itself, they will present their poems. Tonight one of the winners will read his or her winning poem. Jury member and poet Ruben van Gogh will introduce the young poet. Meer details bekijken

Denise Jannah sings poems, put to music by herself, from the Netherlands, Surinam, the Dutch Antilles, Aruba, South Africa and Indonesia. The poems are from amongst others Vasalis, Gerrit Komrij, Frank Martinus Arion (Curaçao), Celestine Raalte (Surinam), Sitok Srengenge (Indonesia), Ruby Bute (St. Martin) and C. Louis Leipoldt (South-Africa). She travels through languages and countries, but also through different musical styles: from blues to Caribean walz and from jazz to hiphop and latin. For Denise a poem must remain a poem “I take care that the poem is not lost in a surplus of music or an excess of notes. It should certainly not lose its form." Since 2001, on invitation of Winternachten to put poems to music, Denise Jannah has performed with her singing poetry programme in festivals in South Africa, the Dutch Antilles, Surinam and Indonesia. Tonight she presents her CD Gedicht - gezongen (Poem, sung) wich is a collection of poems to music. Denise is accompanied by guitar, bass and percussion. Meer details bekijken

As a child Edsel Juliet, together with his brothers, formed the legendary band Tipiko Juliet. Thirty years later Tipiko Juliet returns to the stage, but now in a different formation. With his brothers and cousins Tipiko Juliet makes a complete come back. Antillian folk music with traditional instruments. Meer details bekijken

In the foyer of the theater is a large cristal ball. Visual artists Bie Muusze and Rens Noorman have made specially for Winterrnachten a video installation in the ball and on a large projection screen on the wall. The installation consists of continual images about literature, the future and dreams. At unexpected moments the ball demands extra attention. Meer details bekijken

The South-African hiphop group Dice Lordz consists of the twins Sanele and Harnashe Langa and Bhekithemba Mahlambi. This trio from the township of Kwa Mashu, near Durban, combines hiphop with strong texts about social issues. Meer details bekijken

Forty years ago the famous words 'I had a dream' made a lot of impression. Nowadays, if we are to believe the advertisements, the question 'beer?' appeals more to the imagination. Who makes what is bent straight asked Ecclesiastes and we with him. Writers Khalid Boudou and Gerrit Komrij - now as clones of god - exchange letters to one another on the question of what a future world should look like. An exchange of letters on stage. Directed by Carel Alphenaar. Meer details bekijken

What would the Antilles have looked like if the revolution of 1969 had not been surpressed? Barche Baromeo sketches that other future in his novel E Parto. Lasana Sekou from Saint Martin, in his fierce resistance poems, and Carel de Haseth from Curaçao, in a more modest tone, also dream of a new future for their islands. Meer details bekijken

Zebulon Dread from South Africa calls himself a 'cultural terrorist'. In his country he is well known, due to his provocative performances at festivals. He is both a stand-up comedian, magazine editor and street vendor. The way he sells his magazine 'Hey Voetsek' (African for: hey, get lost) makes him loved and feared at the same time. In this magazine, which has acquired a cult status in South Africa, he rages against everything that is middle of the road, lethargic and politically correct. Tonight as well Zebulan Dread shall sell his magazine. Meer details bekijken

The intertwining of life and death is a main theme for the Surinamese/Dutch poet Antoine de Kom. It is the starting point for his choice of film excerpts, chosen from the work of Werner Herzog (Aguirre/Fitzcarraldo) and from film material of the saxophone player John Coltrane. Meer details bekijken

In the foyer of the theater is a large cristal ball. Visual artists Bie Muusze and Rens Noorman have made specially for Winterrnachten a video installation in the ball and on a large projection screen on the wall. The installation consists of continual images about literature, the future and dreams. At unexpected moments the ball demands extra attention. Meer details bekijken

Chirikure Chirikure from Zimbabwe is a poet, a singer and a storyteller. Tonight he performs with his poems to music, accompanied by percussionists Gerardo Rosalez and Jens Kerkhoff. Meer details bekijken

Denise Jannah sings poems, put to music by herself, from the Netherlands, Surinam, the Dutch Antilles, Aruba, South Africa and Indonesia. The poems are from amongst others Vasalis, Gerrit Komrij, Frank Martinus Arion (Curaçao), Celestine Raalte (Surinam), Sitok Srengenge (Indonesia), Ruby Bute (St. Martin) and C. Louis Leipoldt (South-Africa). She travels through languages and countries, but also through different musical styles: from blues to Caribean walz and from jazz to hiphop and latin. For Denise a poem must remain a poem “I take care that the poem is not lost in a surplus of music or an excess of notes. It should certainly not lose its form." Since 2001, on invitation of Winternachten to put poems to music, Denise Jannah has performed with her singing poetry programme in festivals in South Africa, the Dutch Antilles, Surinam and Indonesia. Tonight she presents her CD Gedicht - gezongen (Poem, sung) wich is a collection of poems to music. Denise is accompanied by guitar, bass and percussion. Meer details bekijken

As a child Edsel Juliet, together with his brothers, formed the legendary band Tipiko Juliet. Thirty years later Tipiko Juliet returns to the stage, but now in a different formation. With his brothers and cousins Tipiko Juliet makes a complete come back. Antillian folk music with traditional instruments. Meer details bekijken

In the foyer of the theater is a large cristal ball. Visual artists Bie Muusze and Rens Noorman have made specially for Winterrnachten a video installation in the ball and on a large projection screen on the wall. The installation consists of continual images about literature, the future and dreams. At unexpected moments the ball demands extra attention. Meer details bekijken

Climbers of mount Olympus, romantic idealists, Doktor Spocks and bungyjumpers to hell, write themselves a poetic road to the future. Four poets and their vision: Pieter Boskma, Ruben of Gogh, Astrid Lampe and Christine Otten were commissioned by Winternachten to write a visionary poem. They recite their poems and discuss it with Joris van Casteren. Christine Otten is accompanied by saxophone player Jan Klug. Meer details bekijken

How do the Dutch animated film makers see the future? Animation is the perfect, simple medium by which to create a new world . A specially composed film programme with authentic, extreme and mild musings on the future. Including 'Dada' (Piet Kroon, 10'00'', 1994, the Netherlands), about high expectations that parents demand of their children; 'Oh my Darling' by Børge Ring (09'00", 1978, the Netherlands), a film of suffocating parental love; 'Escape from Paradise' by Freark Boersma (10'00'', 2002) a film about technical developments and the fight of man to control them, and 'The Rise and fall of the legendary Anglo Billy Fevesen' by Rosto (10.00", 2002, the Netherlands), in which a modern Icarus searches for another world. Meer details bekijken

Lasana M. Sekou from Saint Martin is a poet and publisher. He is a wonderful performer who likes to perform among the audience. His poetry often refers to the colonial relationship with The Netherlands and Curaçao. Meer details bekijken

Writer Robert Menasse (Vienna) described the 19th century Austrian movement of 'perditionists'. Tonight he reads his oracle on the future of Europa. Moderated by Michaël Zeeman. English spoken. Meer details bekijken

Adriaan van Dis loves languages that 'make love to one another'. He calls it Loving Language. Recently he put together a whole edition of the literary magazine Optima about this very subject. He asked amongst others Abdelkader Benali, Michiel van Kempen, Ellen Ombre and Henk van Woerden to write an article about how for them - as van Dis puts it - 'ribs from one language intertwine with those of another language'. Once more van Dis allows during this conversation languages to make love to one another. Meer details bekijken

A swinging Cuban/Dutch salsa band sends Winternachten dancing into the night. Trombonist Frans Cornelissen has played for many years in various top bands and writes his own music arrangements for various salsa bands and orchestra's. His dream of playing in a 'almost complete brass band' is now realized. He has put together a fantastic band. The traditionel bass has been replaced by a bass tuba; he has added extra trombones, trumpets and percussion. Together with Salsabrass Proyecto Zuecos he has created an explosive formation. Meer details bekijken

Chirikure Chirikure from Zimbabwe is a poet, a singer and a storyteller. Tonight he performs with his poems to music, accompanied by percussionists Gerardo Rosalez and Jens Kerkhoff. Meer details bekijken

A swinging Cuban/Dutch salsa band sends Winternachten dancing into the night. Trombonist Frans Cornelissen has played for many years in various top bands and writes his own music arrangements for various salsa bands and orchestra's. His dream of playing in a 'almost complete brass band' is now realized. He has put together a fantastic band. The traditionel bass has been replaced by a bass tuba; he has added extra trombones, trumpets and percussion. Together with Salsabrass Proyecto Zuecos he has created an explosive formation. Meer details bekijken