Let’s hear it for the losers. The people who always end up second, or even worse, fourth. The ones who’ve been dumped, scorned, and rejected more times than they care to remember. Proving that adversity builds character, the Rejected Film Festival celebrates the losers who continue even when all odds are against them. The festival will guarantee you a selection of the best, strangest, most exciting and probably the worst movies you will ever see. The different movies, documentaries, pilots and other filmed items shown during the festival all have one thing in common: at one point or another they were rejected by festivals, broadcasting directors and other hot shots with money. Decide for yourself if these puppies were rejected for good reason or if they unjustifiably ended on the reject pile. / Tessa Cramer

As a proud citizen of Amsterdam, nothing is more confrontational than having a group of excited tourists asking you for inside advice. There you are: a self proclaimed know-it-all when it comes to this town, completely frozen when the question “where should we go out tonight?” is thrown in your direction. Under this kind of heavy pressure, all you come up with are spots they could have found themselves just walking around Rembrandtplein. But next time you get cornered, there is no need to go blank: just mention 301Live!, a monthly night at the squatted film academy that will guarantee some good stories to tell the people back home. With upcoming bands and artists like Autoblonde, Pony Pack and Robin Block (pictured), 301Live! is always presenting the best Amsterdam has to offer. Just go and see for yourself: After all, you should know what you are bragging about. / Rebecca Bego

Friday. The only day of the week that is filled with both major anticipation, the promise of a good time and just plain hard work. After lunch the countdown begins. Only four more hours till the weekend starts. The excitement is building and you get the same butterflies you used to have in school, the day before the summer vacation. Sure, the days of enjoying six continuous weeks of freedom are over, but the mere thought of having two days off is enough to get you going these days. The clock strikes five and you’re free to go. But what do you? How do you best spend these free hours ? For the ultimate Friday night go to Hotel Arena. Every second and fourth Friday of the month you can dance the night away on the best dance classics, courtesy of the Eighties Verantwoord and Nineties Now DJs. ‘A Classic Friday’: what better way to begin the weekend? / Silvia de Vries

What is going on in Ghent? Does anybody know? What’s the reason that DJs from this Belgian city have gone on to conquer the world? I saw Mo & Benoeli (The Glimmers) play a long time a go and it sucked so bad that I’m more than a little surprised to see that these Belgians have become so successful. I guess they’ve grown since the last time I saw them. A case of practise makes perfect. And so these days The Glimmers mix anything from disco to pop to electro to rock. They have just released their first debut album full of their own productions. In short, plenty of reasons to check them out and find out first hand if they indeed have become better with time. Also playing tonight – all the way from New York – is space-disco-duo In Flagranti and Joost van Bellen. / Tamara

Do your grandparents always tell you that family bonds were much tighter when they were growing up? Does your aunt keep insisting that life was so much more pleasant when she was a little girl? And is your father still convinced that everything was simply much better back in the good old days? If so, tell your family that they should stop moaning and come see ‘De geschiedenis van de familie Avenier.’ This play by Maria Goos shows a Dutch family, living in a society that is in a state of confusion. The first two parts of this feuilleton, written especially for Het Toneel Speelt, were taken to the stage last year. We watched how the family spent New Year’s Eve 1955 and saw how fifteen years later, everything had completely changed. In part three and four – the play’s finale – we catch up with the family in 1985 and 2000. Epic family theatre. / Silvia de Vries

A magical dream world wrapped in fog. Pale characters with tangled hair and tormented eyes. Mournful sinister fantasies… plus copious blood, cruel knives, London streets, murder and the adaptation of a Broadway musical. It’s all in the latest film from Tim Burton, “Sweeney Todd”, which tells (sings) the story of the barber thirsty for revenge. Johnny Depp, great friend and obsession of Burton, and his wife Helena Bonham-Carter, sing the roles with depth. Don’t let the singing bit put you off, this is not a film full of meaningless tunes. Burton uses the songs to relate the story and produce a talented film of black humour and sinister reclining chairs./ Eva A. Prats Transl. by Suky Taylor

Wow, this one takes me back. Chemistry was one of the first parties I ever attended. I was still a minor at the time but thankfully looked older than I was so I managed to sneak in. Chemistry reminds me of the almost vintage club scene. A time where VJs just started to experiment. Tonight in Paradiso I’m definitely going for Green Velvet, Chicago-based techno legends known for their incredible beats. Also playing: I-F, Lupe, Chemistry residents Marcello & Isis. All ingredients for a major trip down memory lane. / Tamara

If you’re one of those people that want to pack their bags and get on the next flight to anywhere-but-here, when it’s grey and rainy outside, stop looking for your passport! The World Music Theatre Festival brings the world to you. With performances from Japan, New Zealand, Venezuela, South Africa, Taiwan and New York City, our own little capital will be flooded with passionate musicians from all over the globe. And there’s more! You can also visit lectures, see films or participate in workshops. I’m telling you, the World Music Theatre Festival is bound to beam some sunshine through even the darkest clouds. This weekend’s highlight? Molora: music theatre from South Africa, at the Tropenmuseum. / Silvia de Vries

“Unheimlich” or uncanny is the word that comes to my mind when looking at the photos Daniel & Geo Fuchs took of secret Stasi rooms. If the walls of these places could talk! Once used by the East German secret service, these spaces – ranging from cells to bunkers to interrogation rooms – have not been touched since the fall of the Berlin Wall. They seem stuck in time with their dated furniture and grim colour scheme. These are forgotten spaces of history that have been brought back to the present day and age by showcasing them in a photographic exhibition. “Unheimlich” yes, but definitely worth any momentarily discomfort. / Tamara

Most people will go and see “No Country for Old Men” purely because Javier Bardem is an award-winning actor. Wrong! Why? Well, yes it’s true, Bardem’s performance warrants an Oscar, and here he is part of one big mama of a movie, with all its good points and bad, teetering on the delicate border between ethics and morals. This one is hard to pin down, but not impossible. You see, things are never black and white, especially when talking about human behaviour. But this film is luxuriously engrossing with some fantastic dialogues. So love Bardem or not, this is a must./ Noelia Aparicio Transl. by Ayesha

Let me introduce you to the latest IT-boy of the art world: Levi van Veluw who you might know from his ballpoint portraits that we printed in this very magazine. His series ‘Landscapes’ has already won numerous international prices, is part of several exhibitions and Victor and Rolf have already bought one of his pieces. Why? Van Veluw is more than a photographer, he is an all-round artist. The ArteZ School of Arts Arnhem alumni has developed innovative pieces of art, which transcend the self portrait label. Van Veluw’s work consists of images of the artist’s own face and neck covered with different patterns, colours and styles. Fabulous stuff. / Tessa Cramer

Oscar-nominated movies are enormous productions full of Hollywood stars and fueled by jaw-dropping budgets, but this time (finally) a modest and brilliant effort has joined their ranks. “Juno” the bitter-sweet story, as unnaturally mature as it is charming, reinvents the teenage drama, with its depiction of an unwanted pregnancy with a rarely-found natural feel. The actors are exceptional in their roles (the exquisite Ellen Page as the pregnant and sarcastic pubescent) and the son of the creators of Ghostbusters, Jason Reitman, directs them masterfully in a film bursting with the ingenious. The result is ironic, intelligent and fun. With insightful dialogues, a great soundtrack, and above all, a lack of pretensions all coming together to make this a truly great film./ Eva A. Prats Transl. by Don Vito

There’s nothing sexier than reality… really. I’m bored with glossy, buffed, nipped, tucked and polished porn stars. I’m bored with ‘professional’ lap-dancers and their glassy stares. Give me real people with all their flaws and blemishes and fallings-down and not-being-able-to-walk-in-these-six-inch-heels and real, real life. And so I love the fact that Amsterdam has finally joined the burlesque bandwagon. Real girls with real curves, strut their stuff for an appreciative and informed audience (i.e. me). It’s funny, sexy, classy and REAL, and the nearest thing to an actually captivating evening as you’ll get in Amsterdam. / Mrs Mills

There were many reasons for putting together the exhibition Book seeks Reader. There’s the Boekenweek of course, there‘s the city’s 2008 title of World Book Capital, but the main reason is that it was exactly fifty years a go that the collection of the Stichting Bibliotheek van het Boekenvak was brought to the University of Amsterdam’s Special Collections Sections. To celebrate this fact an exhibition was put together on book propaganda and advertising. It shows how over the last couple of centuries the Dutch reader has been tempted to purchase books. The exhibition features prints and books from the 19th and 20th century and even some pieces from as far back as 1560. All in all, an interesting collection for every book and print lover to see. / Silvia de Vries

You a Stones fan? We bet you didn’t know bass player Bill Wyman has been an avid snapper since the early 60s and that he’s good at it too! He’ll be in town for a gig with his side kick band The Rhythm Kings and simultaneously launches an exhibition at Yoshiko Matsumoto Gallery. On display are 40 colour and black & white photographs, all of them original prints. Many shots were taken during his tenure with the Rolling Stones and have never been shown to the public before. Expect to see a visual mélange of rock stars with their rock chicks and rock friends, all as their casual self plus celeb portraits and maybe surprisingly, serene Caribbean landscapes. / Andres Mueller

Mr. Rother is a highly respected artist. He has a unique electro sound, even though he was heavily inspired by Kraftwerk. But then again, who didn’t these guys inspire? Rother’s gigs can be summoned up in two words: dark beats. His live sets are almost robotic. The guy’s surrounded by an army of equipment, the kind of stuff that I can only dream of! Expect a serious dark & intense set of sounds and beats that will bound to be all over the place. Also attending the party are Michael Von L. – who shall start the party – and Estroe – who has the honour of closing the night. / Tamara

Knickers or undies, most of us wear them and most of us take them for granted on a daily basis. So how about rethinking your approach? Imagine cycling down the street knowing you’re wearing something a little bit special beneath those layers. Amsterdam already had one Marlies Dekkers flagship store, but another one opened its door at the Berenstraat. Expect a store that not only oozes luxury but also one that can and will produce that special something to put a skip in your step and a wiggle in your walk. From cotton basics to special separates, scented candles to sunglasses. Staff are on call to ensure that browsing or buying are equally pleasurable experiences. Whether the purchase is for you or your partner step inside, recline on a chaise and devour the experience. / SusieB

In a city where the bike is not only king but also a street currency why not contemplate a recycled bike to replace the one that ended up wheel first into a canal? Recycled Bikes is a simple yet ingenious idea set up by an ex BMX rider to recycle (yes, it’s a simple as that) all the bikes that get trashed or kicked on the streets of our city. Taking scraps of bikes, he lovingly rebuilds them into a much cheaper alternative to a regular 2nd hand bike. In the process, Vitor scuppers the plans of the junkies by removing their drug currency. / SusieB

It’s not often that I’m proved wrong, but three times in one evening and I was truly ashamed of my pre-conceived ideas that can rear their ugly head from time to time. Firstly, to get a reservation for a Friday night late in the week is unheard of in the Dam. Secondly, to find a place in the Nine Streets which doesn’t consist of three tables and a bench is also a rarity. But finally, finding a French restaurant in the Nine Streets that is big, has a buzz, a cute barman and good food portions is completely unheard of. In comes Loup. This smoky brown and mirrored interior is a real cool option for a Friday night when all you want to do is catch up on the gossip, take a few drinks and grab some decent food to fuel your night. / SusieB

Look in Amsterdam for a tapas restaurant and you’ll be spoilt for choice. Look for a tapas restaurant with an oriental vibe and no plastic grapes on the wall and some would think you were one chorizo short of a side dish. Or would you? Placed unassumingly on a busy main road you’d think on first glance that Amor Amor was a Chinese or Thai establishment. But think again, Chico! With a concise but exciting food menu matched with an equally good wine, you can relax in the cushion-stuffed banquettes sampling Spanish delights like you were Zorro on a day trip to Bangkok. With excellent service and a sublimely good mix of music this place is a really hidden treat in a city brimming over with tapas. / SusieB