The Hell of '63

  • Genre: Action/drama
  • Cast: Chris Zeegers,Willeke van Amelrooy,Pierre Bokma,Cas Jansen
  • Directed by: Steven de Jong
Holland is a country filled with lakes and canals, and in the winter, everyone hopes that it will stay cold long enough for all of that water to freeze. It doesn’t happen all that often, but when it does, it’s cause for celebration. That’s when a famous ice skating competition is held in the north of the country. Skaters 18 and older must complete a 200 kilometer skating route and pass through eleven checkpoints in cities along that route. The race must be completed by midnight and everyone who finishes receives a special medal from the government.The top three finishers receive the top prizes.

The Hell of ’63 is the name given to that competition run in the winter of 1963. This film is based on the true facts of that day, and personalizes the events by following stories of four skaters, all determined to finish the race at any cost.

It was a very cold winter and excitement was building across the country, waiting for news that competition would begin at dawn. The committee in charges of making that decision was torn. Almost half the members thought it wasn’t safe because the temperatures were plunging far below the freezing mark. But pressure was put on the committee to allow the race because this would be the first year that it would be televised. And as a special incentive, Queen Juliana and her daughter, Princess Beatrix, were to arrive by helicopter at the finish line.


As they anxiously awaited word of the start of the race, 4 skaters, each unknown to the other, made their way to the registration and starting line. Each came with a personal reason for entering the competition. Before the day was out, they would meet each other, share their dreams and sorrows and come together to try and reach their goal of crossing the finish line.

For Annemeike, a nurse, this competition was personal. Her boyfriend had always wanted to compete, but a tragic accident took his life. So she is determined to keep his memory alive and get the medal he always wanted.

Sjoerd is just 17, too young to compete officially, but he will do anything it takes to get on the ice and reach the finish line. His whole future depends on it. He wants to buy the family dairy farm before it is sold out from under him, but he doesn’t have near enough money. An uncle of his promises him a loan if he brings home the medal.

Kees has something to prove to himself and his wife. His wife is about to give birth to their first child, and when he tells her he’s just lost his job, she packs up and leaves him. He needs to win her back, to prove to her that he’s not a loser. He needs to bring her that medal so she’ll be proud of him and take him back.

Henk is in the army. He’s always wanted to skate in the competition and now he sees his chance. But his commander won’t give him military leave. So he sneaks off the base and enters the competition, knowing that the military police will be a step behind him the whole way.

Four stories that typify the spirit of the actual 10,000 skaters who entered the race that fateful day in 1963. Even the most fit extreme sport skater of today would face tough odds in reaching the finish line.
 Due to the plunging temperatures and rough terrain, thousands of skaters suffered frostbite and injuries. Only a small group would ever cross the finish line, but for those who did, it was a life changing event!

Since this year the lakes and canals did not freeze over, THE HELL FROM ’63 was shot partly on location in an icy, remote part of Lapland, which created quite a challenge for the cast and crew.

THE HELL OF ’63 is a beautifully shot, exciting, suspenseful film that will leave its viewers with a sense of empowerment, with a feeling that anything is possible in their own lives. It’s a film to be watched and enjoyed by audiences around the world.