Mijke de Jong
| Mijke de Jong | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 23, 1959 (Age 57) Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter and producer |
Mijke de Jong is a Dutch director, screenwriter and producer in the film industry. She is known for creating Dutch drama movies such as BlueBird (2004), Frailer (2014) and Layla M. (2016).
Biography
De Jong was born on September 23, 1959, in the city of Rotterdam, within the Netherlands.[1] She moved in 1978 to Amsterdam, where she studied at the Amsterdam Film Academy.[2]
Early life
During her time as a student at the Amsterdam Film Academy she was part of the Dutch radical activist group “Onkruit”. The group aimed its actions against the army, nuclear weapons and the weapons industry in general; they fought for an open (military) policy. She had to quit participating in order to remain a student at the Film Academy. [3]
Career
The themes in the films that De Jong directs relate to everyday life in society. Her work centres on topics including bullying, family problems, feeling as though you do not belong, and death. She portrays emotions that accompany these struggles .[4] Her filming techniques are seemingly similar to the filming of a documentary. She uses lots of close-ups of the actors.[5]
Mijke de Jong is part of the project funded by the Netherlands Film Fund (Nederlands Filmfonds).[6] With this project, filmmakers try to tighten the bonds with other film countries. This policy plan is intended to fill the financial gaps that small film productions have to deal with, to promote the Dutch scene as a place for filming and to create more opportunities for national actors.[7]
Films
Layla M. (2016)
The movie Layla M. is about a young Moroccan woman (Nora El Koussour) who was born and raised in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The movie focuses on specific topics including discrimination, feminism, adulthood, faith and disappointment. Layla M. tells the story of a young woman who feels like her background is not accepted within the society she lives. Against the wishes of her parents, she finds herself engaging more and more in radical Islamic activities. Eventually, she gets to the point that she feels the need to leave the country to pursue her true ideas and feelings. Together with her husband Abdel (Ilias Addab) she flees to Amman, Jordan. While there, she realizes she needs to make a choice, as she discovers Jordan is not at all what she expected it to be.[8]
Stages (2007)
Stages (In Dutch: Tussenstand) represents the story of Isaac (Stijn Koomen), a child of divorced parents (Elsie de Brauw and Marcel Musters). Isaac is a very conserved person who does not speak much. His parents are concerned about his behaviour and decide to have a talk about him over dinner. This however leads to heated discussions about personal issues, resulting in disagreeing about everything the other has to say. [9]
BlueBird (2004)
The movie BlueBird is a story about bullying, and the consequences thereof. Thirteen year old Merel (Elske Rotteveel) is a very smart girl who is devoted to taking care of her handicapped brother. This gives her classmates a reason to make fun of her, an extreme level of bullying is reached.[10]
Frail (1997)
Frail (In Dutch: Broos) is a Dutch drama film. The movie is about five sisters (played by Marnie Blok, Lieneke le Roux, Maartje Nevejan, Leonoor Pauw and Adelheid Roosen) who come together to think of a present for the anniversary of their parents. Before being turned into a movie, this story had already being released in theatre in 1995.[11]
Love Hurts (1993)
Love Hurts (In Dutch: Hartverscheurend) tells the story of Marieke Heebink & Mark Rietman, who are in a relationship, but differ in many ways. This story takes place in Amsterdam during the nineties and was written by Jan Eilander and Mijke de Jong. The film contains themes of conflict, love, race, change and commitment.[12]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Layla M. | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 2016 | Stop Acting Now | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 2015 | Fiftyfifty | Director | |
| 2014 | Brozer (Frailer) | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 2010 | Joy | Director | |
| 2008 | Het zusje van Katia (Katia's Sister) | Director | |
| 2007 | Tussenstand (Stages) | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 2005 | Allerzielen | Director | Short Film |
| 2004 | BlueBird | Director | |
| 2001 | Uitgesloten | Director | |
| 1999 | Lopen | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 1999 | Kussen | Screenwriter | |
| 1998 | Het labyrinth | Director | |
| 1997 | Gordel van smaragd | Screenwriter | |
| 1997 | Broos (Frail) | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 1996 | Lieve Aisja | Director, Screenwriter & Producer | |
| 1995 | Stills | Director & Screenwriter | Short Film |
| 1995 | Frans en Duits | Screenwriter | |
| 1994 | The Four A.M. Feed | Director | |
| 1994 | Still you | Director | |
| 1994 | Hartverscheurend (Love Hurts) | Director & Screenwriter | |
| 1989 | In krakende welstand | Director & Screenwriter |
Awards
- In 1989 she got the Prize of the City of Utrecht (In Dutch: Prijs van de stad Utrecht) for her movie In Krakende Welstand.
- In 1993 de Jong received the Prize of the Dutch Film Criticism (Prijs van de Nederlandse Filmkritiek) for the movie Love Hurts (Hartverscheurend).
- In 1993 she also won the Swissair/Crossair Special Prize at the Locarno Festival with her movie Love Hurts. [14]
- In 2005 she received a Glass Bear award (Glazen Beer) at the Berlin Filmfestival with BlueBird.
- She won The Youth Jury Award at the Toronto Sprockets International Film Festival for Children with BlueBird.
- She won The Grand prix de Montréal at the Montréal International Children’s Film Festival with BlueBird.
- In 2007 she won the Golden Calf (Gouden Kalf) three times with her movie Stages (Tussenstand). One of these was for best director.[15]
References
- ↑ Kortum, Evelien. “Op scherp: Mijke de Jong. Met zachtheid de wereld proberen te veranderen”. VPRO Cinema (September 19, 2008).
- ↑ Ede Botje, Harm and Sander Donkers. “Filmmaakster Mijke de Jong, nog altijd trots”. Vrij Nederland. August 23, 2008.
- ↑ Ede Botje, Harm and Sander Donkers. “Filmmaakster Mijke de Jong, nog altijd trots”. Vrij Nederland. August 23, 2008.
- ↑ Kortum, Evelien. “Op scherp: Mijke de Jong. Met zachtheid de wereld proberen te veranderen”. VPRO Cinema (September 19, 2008).
- ↑ Kortum, Evelien. “Op scherp: Mijke de Jong. Met zachtheid de wereld proberen te veranderen”. VPRO Cinema (September 19, 2008).
- ↑ Willems, Gertjan (2016). Over grenzen kijken. Het internationaliseringsbeleid van het Nederlands Filmfonds en de samenwerking met Vlaanderen. Ons Erfdeel, vol. 59 (nr. 3), pp. 131.
- ↑ Willems, Gertjan (2016). Over grenzen kijken. Het internationaliseringsbeleid van het Nederlands Filmfonds en de samenwerking met Vlaanderen. Ons Erfdeel, vol. 59 (nr. 3), pp. 129.
- ↑ Tobias, Scott, “Toronto Film Review: Layla M.”, Variety (September 9, 2016).
- ↑ Verstraten, Peter, Humour and Irony in Dutch Post-War Fiction Film. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press (2016) 131/132.
- ↑ Foundas, Scott, “BlueBird”, Variety, November 1 – November 7 (2004) 36.
- ↑ Elley, Derek, “Frail (Broos)”, Variety, March 30 – April 5 (1998) 67.
- ↑ Rooney, David, “Hartverscheurend (Love Hurts)”, Variety, February 21 – February 24 (1994) 49.
- ↑ VPRO Cinema, Personen: Mijke de Jong.
- ↑ De wereld draait door. ‘Mijke de Jong’. Vara.
- ↑ De wereld draait door. ‘Mijke de Jong’. Vara.