Nicolai Haugsted
A cinema chain gathers 30 film enthusiasts, hypnotizes them, and lets them re-experience their favorite film with fresh eyes.
What if you could erase the memory of your favorite film? Not the hint of what’s in the box at the end of Se7en, not the shock of The Matrix’s dojo scene, not the familiar beats of La La Land’s opening. Just the same excitement and wonder as the very first time.
That’s the premise of a new event from Dutch cinema chain Pathé called Rewind. On Monday, November 9, 2026, 30 film enthusiasts will attempt to forget their favorite film under expert guidance and then watch it again in the cinema at Pathé Buitenhof in The Hague.
Hypnotist with 30 Years of Experience
Behind the experiment is hypnotist Victor Kraemer, who, according to Pathé, has specialized in hypnosis for more than 30 years. Participants will first go through a personal online session with Kraemer, and just before the film rolls onto the screen, they will receive another induction in the cinema hall.
Participants can choose from four films when they sign up: The Matrix, Se7en, La La Land, and Interstellar. Based on the participants’ preferences, Pathé will select one film to be shown to the entire group at the event.
A Marketing Stunt with a Serious Undertone
Rewind was announced as a free commercial event where interested parties could sign up until Thursday, October 29 via Pathé’s website. The concept plays on a longing that most film fans know: the desire to reset their memory and feel the final scene in Interstellar or the plot twist in Se7en as a surprise again.
“Who wouldn’t want to see their favorite film for the very first time again?” says Pathé’s PR and Communications Manager Imke van Schaaijk according to Fonk Magazine.
Does It Even Work?
Hypnotherapy is used clinically for things like smoking cessation, anxiety, and pain, but selective memory blockage of a specific film is an entirely different matter. Pathé itself refers to the process as an experiment, not a guarantee. Whether 30 Dutch people actually leave the cinema feeling like they’ve seen Neo take the red pill for the first time is precisely the point of the experiment.
If you want to try it yourself at home, it’s worth remembering that, according to Pathé, hypnosis works best when you are receptive to it, and not everyone is equally suggestible.
The results of the experiment are expected to be shared after the event on November 9.
