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Red Sien (1975) movie poster

Timeline

Red Sien (1975) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1975 · 108 mins · Dutch
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Directed by
Frans Weisz
Starring
Peter Faber, Willeke Alberti, Geert de Jong, Gerard Thoolen, Wim van den Brink, Mimi Kok

After her mother, a prostitute, is killed by her father, Sien is raised by her grandparents. Rejecting a conventional future with the grocer’s son Gerrit van Buren, she follows tout Jan Meier and becomes a revue performer in an Amsterdam cabaret. Her new life is shattered when her estranged father reappears, forcing her to confront her past.

Cast, crew & box office
On this page (5)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Every angle
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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Red Sien Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Red Sien (1975) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Murder of Rooie Sien (1912)

    In 1912 Rooie Sien is murdered by her husband Ko Breman after she refuses to follow him to Rotterdam. The act shows the peril she faced and the violence of her era. This tragedy casts a long shadow over her daughter's future and the world she would grow up in.

    When
    1912

  2. Sien's life in Amsterdam as a nightlife performer

    After the murder, Sien begins a life in Amsterdam, working as a prostitute and entertainer. She sings and entertains patrons in café De Kikker, under the pimp Mooie Frans, and sometimes accompanies customers to bed. This milieu marks her survival in a male-dominated city.

    When
    1912-1920s
    Where
    Amsterdam

  3. Sientje raised in Rotterdam by the grandparents

    Sientje, Rooie Sien's daughter, is raised in Rotterdam under the care of her paternal grandparents—the father and mother of Ko Breman. Her upbringing is separate from her mother's life in Amsterdam, shaping her appetite for excitement and independence.

    When
    1923
    Where
    Rotterdam

  4. Gerrit van Buren's crush and Sientje's craving for excitement

    In 1923, as Sientje nears adulthood, Gerrit van Buren, the neighbor's son, has a crush on her, but she craves more excitement than a settled life offers. This longing pushes her toward new experiences and draws her toward the world of performers.

    When
    1923
    Where
    Rotterdam

  5. Meeting Jan Meiren and learning to sing and dance

    Sientje meets the artist Jan Meiren, drawn to his artistry and smooth manners. She asks him to teach her singing and dancing, and they begin performing together, aiming for a future at Belze Marie's establishment.

    When
    1923
    Where
    Amsterdam

  6. Rise as a star at Belze Marie's cabaret

    She ends up in the establishment of Belze Marie, where she quickly becomes a celebrated star. Her talent draws crowds and elevates her status in the cabaret world.

    When
    1923-1924
    Where
    Amsterdam

  7. Jan and Sien perform at Belze's cafe

    Jan and Sien keep performing at Belze Marie's café, continuing the duo's act alongside Sientje's rising fame. Their professional partnership drives the cabaret's success, even as personal tensions simmer behind the scenes.

    When
    1920s
    Where
    Amsterdam

  8. Ko Breman visits the cafe and warns Sientje

    Ko Breman visits the Belze Marie cafe and sees striking similarities between Sientje and her mother Rooie Sien. He predicts she will end up in the gutter if she stays on this path, but Sientje doesn't heed his warning.

    When
    1920s
    Where
    Amsterdam

  9. Belze Marie's cabaret expands to The Hague

    By 1932, Belze Marie and her husband have a smooth-running cabaret in Den Haag, and Jan and Sien follow the show there. The move marks a new era for the family as their acts are transported to a different city.

    When
    1932
    Where
    The Hague

  10. Jan's interest in Angelique; Sientje flees

    Jan begins a liaison with Angelique, the blond dancer, and the two form a relationship. As this romance develops, Sientje's ties to the café are strained and she flees the establishment.

    When
    1932
    Where
    The Hague

  11. New Year's Eve 1933 — breakup in The Hague

    On New Year's Eve, 1933, Jan and Sien break up for good, ending the long-running professional and personal collaboration that defined much of the cabaret's life. The split compounds the fragile family dynamics and leaves Sien and Sientje with an uncertain future.

    When
    1933
    Where
    The Hague

  12. Sientje returns to Rotterdam to care for grandparents

    After the Den Haag upheavals, Sientje returns to Rotterdam to take care of her grandparents. The move signals a shift away from the cabaret world toward family obligations and a different path for her future.

    When
    1933
    Where
    Rotterdam

Last updated: February 18, 2026 at 23:46

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Timeline questions answered

Red Sien Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Red Sien (1975): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why was Rooie Sien murdered by her husband?

Rooie Sien was killed in 1912 by her husband Ko Breman because she refused to follow him to Rotterdam. He wanted to take her there against her will, and when she resisted, he murdered her. This violent act sets the tragic foundation for the entire story and explains why Sientje grows up without her mother.

  • rooie sien
  • ko breman
  • murder
  • rotterdam
  • 1912
Q2

Why does Sientje reject Gerrit van Buren?

Sientje rejects Gerrit van Buren because she craves excitement and a life different from the conventional path he represents. Gerrit is the neighbor's son with a crush on her, but Sientje wants something more adventurous than settling down with a grocer's son in Rotterdam.

Foreshadowing: The timeline establishes early that Sientje has an adventurous temperament and longs for something more than her controlled upbringing.

  • gerrit van buren
  • rejection
  • convential life
  • excitement
  • rotterdam
Q3

Why does Sientje follow Jan Meier to Amsterdam?

Sientje follows Jan Meier because she is captivated by his artistry and smooth manners. When she meets him in 1923, she asks him to teach her to sing and dance, seeing him as her ticket out of her conventional life and into the exciting world of cabaret performance.

  • jan meier
  • cabaret
  • amsterdam
  • performer
  • ambition
Q4

Why does Ko Breman warn Sientje about ending up in the gutter?

Ko Breman visits Belze Marie's café and sees striking similarities between Sientje and her mother Rooie Sien. Recognizing the path his wife took, he warns Sientje that she might end up in the gutter if she continues down this road. However, Sientje refuses to heed his warning.

Foreshadowing: The warning echoes the earlier murder and establishes the cyclical nature of the story, Sientje is following in her mother's footsteps.

  • ko breman
  • father
  • gutter
  • warning
  • rooie sien
Q5

Why does Sientje flee when Jan begins a relationship with Angelique?

Sientje flees the café when Jan Meier begins a relationship with Angelique, the blond dancer, because this betrayal cuts deep emotionally. Despite their strained relationship, Sientje still had feelings for Jan, and seeing him with another woman becomes the final straw that breaks her ties to the establishment.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the timeline, their relationship had already grown strained, especially after Sientje discovered she was pregnant.

  • angelique
  • jan meier
  • betrayal
  • flee
  • relationship
Q6

Why does Sientje return to Rotterdam at the end?

Sientje returns to Rotterdam to care for her aging grandparents after her breakup with Jan on New Year's Eve 1933. This decision marks a shift away from the cabaret world she once pursued with fevered ambition, returning to her roots and finding purpose in family obligations.

Foreshadowing: The timeline shows Sientje was raised by her grandparents in Rotterdam, establishing this as her true homecoming.

  • rotterdam
  • grandparents
  • care
  • return
  • family
Q7

What causes the final breakup between Jan and Sien on New Year's Eve 1933?

The final breakup between Jan and Sien on New Year's Eve 1933 is the culmination of years of growing tension. Jan's relationship with Angelique, combined with the strains of their professional and personal partnership, leads to an irreversible split. The separation leaves Sien's future uncertain and marks the end of their long-running collaboration.

  • jan meier
  • breakup
  • new year's eve
  • 1933
  • end
Q8

What happens to Sientje's pregnancy?

While the summary mentions that Sientje discovers she is pregnant during her time at Belze Marie's cabaret, the timeline does not provide explicit details about the outcome. The pregnancy adds to the strain in her relationship with Jan and contributes to the challenges she faces in her personal life during her rise to stardom.

  • pregnancy
  • jan meier
  • cabaret
  • strain
Q9

How does Rooie Sien's murder shape Sientje's life?

Rooie Sien's murder in 1912 casts a long shadow over Sientje's entire future. Being raised by her grandparents in Rotterdam, separated from her mother's world in Amsterdam, Sientje grows up with a craving for the excitement her mother never had. Her father's warning about ending up in the gutter and her ultimate trajectory reflect the cyclical nature of her mother's fate.

  • rooie sien
  • murder
  • influence
  • cycle
  • future
Q10

How does Sientje become a celebrated cabaret star?

Sientje becomes a celebrated star at Belze Marie's establishment in Amsterdam after asking Jan Meier to teach her to sing and dance. Her talent and adventurous spirit quickly elevate her to fame in the cabaret world, making her a draw for audiences and establishing her as the main attraction.

  • cabaret
  • star
  • belze marie
  • amsterdam
  • talent
Q11

Why does Belze Marie move her cabaret to Den Haag?

By 1932, Belze Marie and her husband have expanded their operations and open a sleek cabaret in Den Haag. Jan and Sien follow them there, marking a new era in their careers. This move represents the growth and relocation of their professional lives to a different city.

  • belze marie
  • den haag
  • cabaret
  • move
  • 1932

Movie threads

More Movies Like Red Sien, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Red Sien tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about overcoming trauma like Red Sien

Characters escaping painful pasts to find a fragile independence. If you were moved by Sien's journey in Red Sien, you'll find similar stories here. This collection features movies about characters confronting intergenerational trauma and seeking freedom from a difficult past, often with a melancholic and dramatic tone.

  • melancholic
  • dramatic
  • somber
  • gritty
  • nostalgic
  • resigned
  • Tone: melancholic, dramatic, somber
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a linear, character-driven path. The protagonist, burdened by a tragic family history, makes choices to distance themselves from their origins, only to be repeatedly pulled back by the past. The journey is less about a triumphant victory and more about achieving a hard-won, imperfect autonomy.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here because they share a core focus on the emotional weight of the past and the arduous path to self-determination. They blend a melancholic tone with a steady, deliberate pacing, creating a somber yet compelling portrait of personal resilience.

Intermezzo: A Love Story movie poster

Intermezzo: A Love Story

1939
Neverwas movie poster

Neverwas

2005
Lady with Red Hair movie poster

Lady with Red Hair

1940
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond movie poster

The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond

2009
Darling movie poster

Darling

1965
Young Goethe in Love movie poster

Young Goethe in Love

2011
Interlude movie poster

Interlude

1957
Bitter Harvest movie poster

Bitter Harvest

1963

Gritty period dramas similar to Red Sien

Unflinching portraits of life's struggles in a bygone era. Fans of the authentic, harsh backdrop of Red Sien will appreciate these movies. This selection features dramatic stories set in the early 20th century or similar periods, focusing on the struggles of everyday life with a somber and nostalgic feel.

  • gritty
  • somber
  • nostalgic
  • dramatic
  • period setting
  • realistic
  • Tone: gritty, somber, nostalgic
  • Pacing: steady, atmospheric
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot often follows a protagonist navigating the constraints of their time—be it through exploitative work, rigid social norms, or economic desperation. The narrative is straightforward, focusing on the daily battles and small personal tragedies that define an era, rather than grand historical events.

Why they belong together: This thread connects films that prioritize atmospheric authenticity and a somber mood. They share a grounded, often bleak view of the past, with a steady pacing that allows the audience to fully absorb the weight of the characters' circumstances.

Bitter Harvest movie poster

Bitter Harvest

1963
Howards End movie poster

Howards End

1992
Young Goethe in Love movie poster

Young Goethe in Love

2011
The Country Girl movie poster

The Country Girl

1954
Grey Gardens movie poster

Grey Gardens

2009
Ask the Dust movie poster

Ask the Dust

2006
The Old Maid movie poster

The Old Maid

1939
Europe ’51 movie poster

Europe ’51

1952

Every angle

Red Sien (1975) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Red Sien in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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