Online ticket sales started Friday 22nd January, but the real box office opened on Tuesday morning. The first festival-goer was already there at 4am in the freezing cold. These true tigers are now recovering in bed, but sone fellow sufferers managed to pick up the phone.
HANNAN AITLHAJ
From what time were you standing in the queue?
"From quarter to five."
Do you queue every year?
"Yes, it's become a bit of a tradition; we do it every year and I myself have been coming for 7 or 8 years. We think it makes a good start to the festival - you have to stand in line to really get that festival feeling! It's a bit of a competition to get there earlier each year, but unfortunately we didn't win this year - there were three people in front of us."
Were you prepared for the wait?
"We had little chairs, fleece blankets, flasks and even a laptop with films, but we didn't use it. The atmosphere with all the strange people and the conversations that went on were entertaining enough. By the end it was a bit cold, but that was just a side issue.
How do you decide which films to see?
“On the Thursday morning I ran to the shop to get the Volkskrant and then I sit down the whole day, go through the programme with a marker pen and then put everything into an excel document. On the same day I get together with my friends and we make a big schedule.
How many tickets did you buy?
“I'm going to fourteen films. Normally it's double that, but now I have a baby so I don't have so much time.”
MRS PRINSEN
From what time were you standing in the queue?
“From half past six. Normally my son orders the tickets online but this year there were a couple of films that we really wanted to see that were sold out on the website.”
What was it like standing in line?
It was really good fun but also really cold. My son and I took it in turns – sometimes I would pop to the car in the car park and I also managed to drink a quick cup of coffee. When the door opened it was our turn straight away.”
How many tickets did you buy?
“We're going to forty films, so eighty tickets altogether. For the ten festival days we're seeing four films a day. I'm most looking forward to Lourdes, I think it's going to be a beautiful film.”
How many years have you been going to the festival?
“We've been doing this for five years. It all began with one film per festival.”
How do you prepare yourselves for the festival, with such an extensive programme?
“I don't do so much myself. My son plans out our whole programme, but he considers my tastes and will include a few Dutch films, for example.”
IVO NEEFJES
From what time were you standing in the queue?
“From seven o'clock, so I had to wait for two hours. Last year I was here at ten and had to wait six hours before it was my turn, so I thought why not go a bit earlier this year. At nine o'clock on the dot it was my turn.
What was it like in the queue?
It was great fun! I didn't really prepare myself very well – I should have worn some warmer socks because it was seriously cold.”
How many films are you going to see?
“I've got nine tickets, including Tetro, Life During Wartime and The Temptation of St.Tony.”
Do you go to the festival every year?
“I've been going for a few years. When I was at secondary school it was harder to go to the festival, but since last year I've been at university in Brussels so my time is more flexible. I've taken a week off my studies.”