On to Amsterdam (one of my favorite cities) and two sold-out screenings at the classic cinema/bar Kriterion. As part of the event, a group of second-year design students from the Rietveld Academy came out and did custom-painted window lettering and installed an exhibit of Helvetica-themed remix posters of their favorite films.

Rietveld students at work

Movie poster exhibit

Special guests included Dutch design legend and Helvetica star Wim Crouwel, who also particpated in a post-screening panel discussion with me, Marco Walser from Swiss design group Electrosmog, and Joost Daamen from International Documentary Festival Amsterdam.

Crouwel on the mic

Experimental Jetset’s Danny, Marieke, and Erwin were also in the house, and designed the flier for the event. But My Little Underground’s Femke Dekker was the superstar of the evening. Not only did she organize the event, but she intro-ed the screenings, moderated the panel discussion, and then rocked the decks as DJ for the afterparty! Damn! I could only last till 2am, but the party was still going strong when I staggered off into the rainy night.

Thanks to Vi, Marthe, and everyone at the Kriterion, to the Rietveld gang, the Jetset, and of course, to Femke, for throwing a world-class Helvetica party, Dutch style.