The 26th International Film Festival Rotterdam featured a retrospective of Hong Kong-based Golden Harvest Pictures. Jackie Chan, the star of the film company, was the guest of honour and opened the festival on 29 January 1997. His visit to Rotterdam also gave him the opportunity to scout the city as a potential location for his next film, and it paid off: just six months later, WHO AM I? was filmed here.
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| Who am I?, 1:38:50 |
As well as in the Netherlands (see also
Dordrecht, Netherlands), filming took place in South Africa, Malaysia and Namibia, where the story begins. Jackie Chan, not only the lead actor but also co-director and stunt coordinator, plays a member of a commando team under his own name. He is the sole survivor of a helicopter crash in the African jungle. He suffers from amnesia and cannot remember who he is, hence the film’s title.
His quest to discover his identity takes him from the Namibian desert via Johannesburg to Rotterdam, where the second part of the film is set. The city has already made an appearance, as the chase in Johannesburg was partly filmed in Rotterdam, including the sequence where the car drives through the Beurstraverse, better known as the Koopgoot (‘Shopping Gutter’). Scenes set and filmed in Rotterdam include the Erasmus Bridge and Coolsingel. The final fight takes place on the roof of Willemswerf, resulting in Jackie Chan performing a daring slide down. For an overview of all the Dutch locations featured in this film, see my blog
Hollands Decor (in Dutch).
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| Kolk, Rotterdam, 14 April 2026 |
In Rotterdam, Jackie Chan is pursued by CIA agents acting on the orders of the corrupt agent Morgan (Ron Smerczak). He manages to escape his pursuers and runs into the city via Kolk towards Blaak, passing the cube houses. These distinctive stilt houses were designed in the 1970s by architect Piet Blom (1934–1999). By 1977, 18 cube houses had already been built in Helmond, a city in the Southern Netherlands. The project in Rotterdam was completed between 1982 and 1984 and comprises 38 residential units and 13 commercial premises of various sizes.
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| Who am I?, 1:07:14 |
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| Kolk, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
The cube houses are located at Overblaak, an elongated courtyard which Jackie Chan runs towards via the steps on Oudehavenkade. One of the houses is a museum, the Kijk-Kubus, located at Overblaak 70 and open every day. For more information, visit the website
Kijk-Kubus Museumhouse. Exhibitions are held in the Kunstkubus at Overblaak 30, which is open on Saturdays and Sundays; for more information, see the
Art Cube Rotterdam website.
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| Who am I?, 1:07:22 |
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| Blaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:07:27 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
Against the backdrop of the cube houses, a fight takes place between Jackie Chan and his pursuers. The Blaak Tower and Willems Bridge are also visible. The Blaak Tower was also designed by Piet Blom and completed in 1984. Due to its pointed roof, the 61-metre-high (200 feet) tower is better known as Het Potlood (‘The Pencil’).
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| Who am I?, 1:07:33 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:07:39 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:07:40 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:07:40 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:07:59 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:08:03 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
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| Who am I?, 1:08:17 |
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| Overblaak, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
Jackie Chan eventually manages to escape his attackers and runs on towards the Oudehavenkade.
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| Who am I?, 1:08:29 |
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| Oudehavenkade, Rotterdam, 3 February 2019 |
It may be the film footage, but it seems as though the houses, also known as Het Blaakse Bos (‘The Blaak Forest’), are now much more yellow. The cube houses were renovated shortly after filming. The photo below was taken by Ingrid van Beek during the fight in Overblaak; here, the colours appear more natural.
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| On set at Overblaak, Rotterdam, 1997 |
Screenshots © Golden Harvest Pictures
Foto © Ingrid van Beek
