Golden Calf for two ArtEZ alumni

ArtEZ alumni Thor Braun and Mattijs van Bergen both won a Golden Calf on 2 October 2026 for their contributions to the film Downtown.

In Downtown, directed by Michiel van Erp and written by Frank Houtappels, friends Ronnie, Lennart and Bas reunite after 30 years of silence to look back on their life together in Amsterdam in 1986.

The main cast includes Yorick van Wageningen, Hans Kesting, Roeland Fernhout, Daniel Cornelissen, Sebastián Mrkvicka and Thor Braun. Sebastián and Thor are both alumni of ArtEZ School of Acting.

The costumes for Downtown were designed by John van Vlerken and Mattijs van Bergen. Mattijs graduated from the bachelor’s programme Fashion Design in 2005.

Golden Calves for Thor and Mattijs

At the awards ceremony on 2 October, Thor and Mattijs both received a Golden Calf for their work on Downtown. Thor won in the Best Supporting Actor category. Mattijs and John won in the Best Costume Design category.