Het Geheim van Hotel New York

After the screening on Monday, October 19, there will be a Q&A with director Boudewijn van Eijck, moderated by Cobie de Vos, director of LantarenVenster. Few buildings tell the story of a city as vividly as Hotel New York does with Rotterdam. Originally built in 1901 as the headquarters of the Holland-Amerika Lijn, this monumental building has experienced more than a century of trade, migration, war, decay and urban renewal. Using rich archive material and interviews with people who know the building from the inside, the film weaves personal stories with the history of Rotterdam as a port city. Office building, squat and eventually a hotel: Het geheim van Hotel New York presents the story of a lasting symbol of Rotterdam's ability to reinvent itself. Few buildings tell the story of a city as vividly as Hotel New York embodies that of Rotterdam. Originally built in 1901 as the headquarters of the Holland America Line, this landmark building has witnessed more than a century of trade, migration, war, decline and urban renewal. Using rich archive material and a wealth of interviews, the film weaves the stories of the people who knew the building from the inside with Rotterdam’s historical evolution as a port city. An office building, a squat and eventually a hotel, The Secret of Hotel New York brings to life the story of an enduring symbol of Rotterdam’s capacity for reinvention.