Géke Roelink has dedicated her career to bringing communities together through the Big Screen experience. A key figure in the Dutch cinema industry for over 20 years, Géke has been the Managing Director of Filmhuis Den Haag since 2011. Under her leadership, the arthouse cinema located in The Hague has become one of the most successful cinemas in The Netherlands with around 320.000 visitors a year including 20.000 students and pupils.
Géke believes that films and cinema-going play a crucial role in social inclusion and are pivotal to a harmonious society. Her efforts have put Filmhuis Den Haag at the centre of The Hague’s cultural life and transformed the local cinema into a hub for social and cultural exchange, something recognised when Filmhuis Den Haag received the Europa Cinemas Award for Best Programming in 2015.
Géke specialises in film programming, marketing and cultural management. She studied at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and at the Amsterdam University of Arts and also completed a leadership programme at de Baak as part of her leadership development.
Her previous roles have included Director of Presentation at the Eye Filmmuseum (2002-2010) and Head of Marketing Communication and Study Information at the University of Amsterdam (1998 – 2002). Géke has also held a variety of Non-Executive Director and board level positions. Among other positions held, Géke was a Board Member of the Netherlands Union of Cinemas (NVBF) for more than 7 years.
Currently, Géke is also an advisor to the Netherlands Council of Culture and a Supervisory Board Member of the Imagine Film Festival in the Netherlands. She has also been a mentor in the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme.
Welcoming the announcement of the Award, Phil Clapp, President of UNIC said:
“We are absolutely delighted to honour Géke at CineEurope 2022. The award recognises her incredible passion for the Big Screen, her outstanding career path and her key role in developing both the Dutch and European cinema-going experience.
On behalf of the UNIC Board and colleagues from across the industry, I would like to congratulate Géke for this wonderful achievement”.
About CineEurope
CineEurope 2022 will take place from 20-23 June at the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. CineEurope is the longest-running and most successful European convention and trade show for Major, Regional, and Independent cinema professionals. CineEurope will feature exclusive screenings and product presentations of upcoming films, sponsored events, timely and informative seminars and the CineEurope Trade Show. CineEurope is the Official Convention of the Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas (UNIC).
About UNIC
The Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) represents the interests of cinema trade associations and cinema operators covering 39 countries in Europe and neighbouring regions.
About Film Expo Group
The Film Expo Group is the premier organizer of events in the motion picture industry. The Film Expo Group produces CineEurope, held in Barcelona; ShowEast, held in Miami; and CineAsia, held in Bangkok.