What you need to know about Kidnapping Freddy Heineken

MANILA, Philippines - Based on a true story, the latest thrilling topic to talk about over beer is now showing in cinemas, Kidnapping Freddy Heineken. The thriller tells of the abduction of Dutch billionaire brewery magnate Freddy Heineken (Anthony Hopkins) and his chauffeur, Ab Doderer, who were kidnapped in 1983 and held for what was considered the largest ransom for an individual at the time.

Based on crime journalist Peter R. De Vries’ account, Kidnapping Freddy Heineken is directed by Daniel Alfredson who also helmed such movies as The Man on The Balcony, The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest and is starred by a stellar cast led by Hopkins along with Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten, Mark van Eeuwen, Tom Cocquerel and Jemima West.

The 1983 kidnapping of Dutch tycoon Freddy Heineken by Cor Van Hout, Willem Holledeer, Frans “Spikes” Meijer, Jan “Cat” Boelaard and Martin “Brakes” Erkamps captivated the nation and became frontpage news. Heineken was released unharmed after three weeks for a ransom of 35 million Dutch guilders (the equivalent of about $50M today).

The Emmy-winning crime journalist De Vries pursued the kidnappers and gained their trust, which resulted in an exhaustively researched, bestselling account of five friends and business associates who banded together to carry out one of the biggest kidnappings in history.

After the casting of Hopkins, the rest of the ensemble fell in line. “I think when the younger actors, like Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess, Ryan Kwanten and Mark van Eeuwen heard that Anthony Hopkins would be playing Heineken and that they would be playing opposite him in the holding cell scenes, how could they not want to do that?” producer Judy Cairo says.

“It had huge appeal to the younger actors, and it was very thrilling to see the great relationships that they all developed on set. Anthony Hopkins was so fabulous with the younger guys, and also had great respect for them, and great encouragement for them,” the producer adds.  

“We always found it ironic and sad that these guys were such good friends, and by the end of their adventure or misadventure, the five of them were never in a room together after they split the ransom. It destroyed everything  between them,” co-producer Michael Simpson notes.

Rated R-13 by the local censors board, Kidnapping Freddy Heineken is now in theaters nationwide from Axinite Digicinema.