Two Sinterklaas films are in Dutch cinemas in 2026: De Club van Sinterklaas Film: Paniek in het Pietendorp (78 minutes) and De Grote Sinterklaasfilm en de Vliegende Pieten (79 minutes). Both opened on Thursday 1 October 2026, both have Kijkwijzer AL (all ages) and both are spoken in Dutch. Pathé, Vue and Kinepolis show them, and so do many local film theatres; Pathé's Sinterklaas programme runs until Saturday 5 December, Pakjesavond, the evening when the presents are given.
Checked 22 October 2026. Not announced yet: showtimes for the last weeks of the run. No official page mentions English subtitles for either film.
Which Sinterklaas films are in the cinema in 2026?
There are two, from two different makers, and they have nothing to do with each other beyond the date. Searchers mix them up and the posters look alike, so this is the quickest way to tell them apart.
| De Club van Sinterklaas Film: Paniek in het Pietendorp | De Grote Sinterklaasfilm en de Vliegende Pieten | |
|---|---|---|
| Dutch release | Thursday 1 October 2026 (Pathé) | Thursday 1 October 2026 (Pathé) |
| Running time | 78 minutes | 79 minutes |
| Kijkwijzer | AL, all ages | AL, all ages |
| Director | Martijn Koevoets | Lucio Messercola |
| With | Wilbert Gieske, Job Bovelander, Beryl van Praag | Robert ten Brink, Tineke Schouten, K3, Jan Smit, Martien Meiland, JOB Dutchtuber |
| Known from | The TV series and YouTube channel of De Club van Sinterklaas: Coole Piet, Testpiet, Danspiet and KADO | The Grote Sinterklaasfilm series, with Hugo Hogepief, Party Piet Pablo and Jean-Claude |
| What happens | The staff of Sinterklaas and many gift sacks vanish in the Pieten village in Spain, days before the trip to the Netherlands | A snowstorm, a "code red" that keeps the Pieten off the roofs, and Pakjesavond at risk |
| Film number | The 15th film of De Club (De Club) | A new film in the series that started in 2019 (official site) |
| On Evenitto | Film page | Film page |
Running times and ratings come from Pathé's film pages and the films' own sites. Two other titles can be confused with these: last year's De Grote Sinterklaasfilm en de Verdwenen Verlanglijstjes and De Club van Sinterklaas film: Een Dolle Beestenboel are not in cinemas now, and De Grote Sinterklaasfilm en de Razende Robot, a film of about 45 minutes, is only on Videoland, where it has streamed since 1 October 2026 (official page).
Which Sinterklaas film should you pick?
Pick by the characters your child knows. The two films are almost the same length and have the same rating, so the difference is the cast.
- De Club van Sinterklaas is the one with the characters from the TV series and the YouTube songs: Coole Piet, Testpiet, Danspiet and KADO. De Club says the film suits families with children from about 3 and has no scary scenes, only mild suspense over the missing gifts.
- De Grote Sinterklaasfilm is the one with the better-known guest names for parents: Robert ten Brink as Sinterklaas, Jan Smit, Martien Meiland, Tineke Schouten and K3. Its makers call it suitable for toddlers, pre-schoolers, older children and grandparents.
We do not rank them: on 22 October neither film had more than a single rating on its Evenitto film page, which says nothing yet.
How long are the Sinterklaas films and what is the age rating?
The Club film runs 78 minutes and the Grote film 79 minutes, and both have Kijkwijzer AL, which means suitable for all ages. Neither film has a minimum age: AL is the Kijkwijzer label for films that suit every age (Kijkwijzer). The running times are of the film itself, so plan for a little more once the trailers have run.
Are the Sinterklaas films in Dutch, and is there an English version?
Both films are Dutch productions and are spoken in Dutch. On Pathé's site every showtime of both films carries the Dutch version, not an original-language one, and none of the official pages (Pathé, the two film sites, sinterklaas.nl) mentions English subtitles (checked 22 October). If you do not speak Dutch, expect to follow the pictures and the songs. The English-friendly page lists the films that do come with English subtitles; the Sinterklaas films were not on it when we checked.
Where do the Sinterklaas films play?
At Pathé, Vue and Kinepolis, and at many independent cinemas: De Club says its film plays in more than 100 towns and cities. For its film, De Club counts 20 Vue cinemas and 17 Kinepolis cinemas in the Netherlands (Vue, Kinepolis). Pathé's own site shows both films in 29 Pathé cinemas on 22 October, all with the Dutch version. For the big cities, this is where to look, with a link to that day's times:
| City | Chains | City page |
|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Pathé, Vue | Amsterdam |
| Rotterdam | Pathé, Kinepolis | Rotterdam |
| The Hague | Pathé | Den Haag |
| Utrecht | Pathé, Kinepolis | Utrecht |
| Eindhoven | Pathé, Vue | Eindhoven |
| Groningen | Pathé, Kinepolis | Groningen |
| Haarlem | Pathé, Kinepolis | Haarlem |
| Nijmegen | Pathé, Vue | Nijmegen |
| Arnhem | Pathé, Vue | Arnhem |
| Breda | Pathé, Kinepolis | Breda |
| Tilburg | Pathé | Tilburg |
| Maastricht | Pathé | Maastricht |
The chains come from the lists on De Club's chain pages and Pathé's site, so a Vue or Kinepolis in a city may show only one of the two films. Evenitto's city pages have the times of De Grote Sinterklaasfilm; for De Club van Sinterklaas, some Pathé and Kinepolis times are not on Evenitto yet (checked 22 October), so look on pathe.nl and kinepolis.nl for that film. Every film for children is on one page.
How long do the Sinterklaas films stay in the cinema?
Until about Pakjesavond, Saturday 5 December: Pathé's Sinterklaas programme runs from 1 October to 5 December, and De Club expects its film in cinemas until early December. Individual cinemas stop earlier or later, and weekend shows fill up first in November, so book the Saturday or Sunday you want a few days ahead. Showtimes for the later weeks appear as each cinema publishes them.
Going with young children: tips
The practical things, from the cinemas' own pages:
- Price. Pathé sells a child's ticket from €8. De Club says a child's ticket costs €8 to €12 on average and that the price varies by cinema, so check the cinema's own page before you go.
- Quieter shows. Kinepolis runs a Kleuterbios of both films for children aged 2 to 6, with slightly lower sound, part of the lights on and a film diploma afterwards (Kinepolis); the Kleuterbios shows on Evenitto list the cinemas and dates. Pathé's Kleuterbios has softer sound and dimmed light but is made for short films of about 60 minutes, so it may not include these two (Pathé).
- Tickets. You buy them from the cinema, not from the film's own site. Pick the right film: the posters look alike.
- At Pathé. From 1 October to 5 December, Pathé gives out a colouring sheet that folds into a shoe. From 21 November to 5 December you can put the finished shoe in the cinema and get a small gift, and every Pathé cinema draws a wish list worth up to €200 at Intertoys. Pathé's Sinterklaas weekend is Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, and spice-nut popcorn is on sale from 1 October (Pathé).
- Time of day. Pathé says it regularly runs morning shows for families, so look at the agenda for an early show (Pathé).
For the rest of the Sinterklaas season, the Sinterklaas page has the arrival days, the live shows and what is on near you.
Quick answers
Which Sinterklaas film is in the cinema in 2026? Two: De Club van Sinterklaas Film: Paniek in het Pietendorp and De Grote Sinterklaasfilm en de Vliegende Pieten, both since Thursday 1 October 2026.
How long is the Sinterklaas film? The Club film runs 78 minutes and the Grote film 79 minutes.
What age are the Sinterklaas films for? Both are Kijkwijzer AL, all ages; De Club puts its film at children from about 3.
Which Sinterklaas film is for toddlers? Both carry the all-ages label. De Club points to children from about 3 for its film, and the makers of the Grote film call theirs suitable for toddlers too. Kinepolis shows both in its Kleuterbios for ages 2 to 6.
Are the Sinterklaas films in English? No. They are Dutch-spoken, and no official page lists English subtitles.
Where can I see the Sinterklaas film? At Pathé, Vue, Kinepolis and many local cinemas; the table above links to each city's times.
How much is a ticket? Pathé sells a child's ticket from €8; De Club says €8 to €12 is usual and varies by cinema.
Which Sinterklaas film is on Videoland? De Grote Sinterklaasfilm en de Razende Robot, a film of about 45 minutes, has streamed there since 1 October 2026. De Club says its cinema films reach streaming and rental services about a year after the cinema release.
Cover photo: coloured paper Sinterklaas shoes in a shop, 2017. Photo: Hanno Lans via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Illustrative photo; cropped and reduced, no generated image.
