Dikkenek turns 20 on Place Poelaert: free giant screening on 10 and 11 October

Twenty years after its release, Dikkenek comes back to where it belongs: Brussels, open air, on Place Poelaert. On 10 and 11 October 2026, Olivier Van Hoofstadt’s cult comedy gets a giant free screening, in full Brussels style.

“We are on Place Poelaert here, not on the Croisette!”

🎟️ Free, but registration is required

Entry is free, but every seat is personal and must be booked in advance on the official site.

• When: Saturday 10 October and Sunday 11 October 2026
• Where: Place Poelaert, 1000 Brussels
• Seats: at least 2,006 — first tier, a nod to the film’s release year. After that, an automatic waiting list.
• How: register online (name, first name, e-mail, age, city and postcode). One QR code per person, scanned on the way in and out, so you can leave and come back with the same code.
• Booking: www.dikkenek.brussels

🎬 The two-day programme

Saturday 10 October

• 16:00 — Doors open
• 19:00 — A/K, new short film by Olivier Van Hoofstadt
• 20:00 — Dikkenek + bonus on the big screen

Sunday 11 October

• 14:00 — Doors open
• 16:00 — The big Dikkenek quiz
• 18:00 — A/K
• 19:00 — Dikkenek + bonus
• 21:00 — KEO, short film by Olivier Van Hoofstadt

The event is supported by the City of Brussels, RTL Belgium, Bel RTL, Vedett, L. Louyet and Pepe’s.

🇧🇪 The film: Brussels humour turned cult

Released on 21 June 2006, Dikkenek is a Belgian-French comedy directed by Olivier Van Hoofstadt. The title comes from the Brussels word dikkenek — literally “thick neck” in Flemish — meaning a braggart, a loudmouth.

Almost unnoticed in cinemas, it became a cult classic through word of mouth, carried by François Damiens (Claudy), Jean-Luc Couchard (Jean-Claude), Marion Cotillard, Mélanie Laurent, Dominique Pinon and Florence Foresti.

😂 Five lines everyone quotes

“I know not everybody likes me… But when I see who doesn’t like me, I wonder whether it really bothers me.”

“Hello mum? Claudy speaking! Listen, I’ve just been carjacked.”

“Either you walk out or I throw you out, but you’ll have to decide.”

“The snuff, that’s a plague.”

“This is excessively annoying!”

(Translated from the French originals.)

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❓ Frequently asked questions

When and where does Dikkenek’s 20th anniversary take place in Brussels?

The 20th anniversary of Dikkenek is celebrated on 10 and 11 October 2026 on Place Poelaert in Brussels, with a giant screening of the film on Saturday evening 10 October and a festive Sunday on 11 October.

Is the Dikkenek screening on Place Poelaert free?

Yes, the event is completely free, but registration is compulsory on the official site www.dikkenek.brussels. There are at least 2,006 nominative seats (first tier): each attendee receives a personal QR code scanned at the entrance. Beyond that, an automatic waiting list applies.

Why is Dikkenek a cult film in Belgium?

Released in 2006 and directed by Olivier Van Hoofstadt, Dikkenek became the cult film of a whole generation thanks to its memorable quotes and characters played by François Damiens, Jean-Luc Couchard and Marion Cotillard, among others. In Brussels dialect, a “dikkenek” is a show-off who is a little too sure of himself.

What is the programme of the Dikkenek weekend on Place Poelaert?

Saturday 10 October: doors at 4pm, A/K short films at 7pm, then Dikkenek with bonus material at 8pm. Sunday 11 October: doors at 2pm, Dikkenek quiz at 4pm, A/K at 6pm, Dikkenek with bonus at 7pm, followed by the film KEO at 9pm.

🔗 Sources & verifiable links

• Official event site: https://www.dikkenek.brussels
• City of Brussels: https://www.bruxelles.be
• Film quotes (press round-up): https://www.premiere.fr/cinema/dikkenek-en-10-repliques-cultes
• Film entry and origin of the word “dikkenek”: https://citations.ouest-france.fr/citations-film-dikkenek-5718.html