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For God's sake, keep an open mind! Rolf Orthel on Making is Most Beautiful

Making is most beautiful, Rolf Orthel's latest film, is an ode to making and its makers. Why does the process of making fascinate? What is creativity or artistry? We meet at bodega Keijzer in Amsterdam, where the waiter knows his coffee preference. We talk about film, parents, getting older, primary school, forests, taking detours to see new things. If... 

IDFA 2022 - Artistic director Orwa Nyrabia on statements and an open eye: 'Rather ask tough questions than confirm our prejudices.'

The 35th edition of the IDFA documentary festival will kick off on 9 November. About the film selection, he remarked that it is "not only a judgement, but also a statement". In this interview, he talks about the choice of filmmaker-activist Laura Poitras as guest of honour, and much more.

'We will be surrounded by fiction.' Jeroen Olyslaegers on his new novella, the illusion of possession and modern escapism

They are quite the characters, the main characters in the books of Jeroen Olyslaegers (55). Laughingly, he talks about Wilfried Wils, the protagonist of his 2016 bestseller Wil, who never stopped talking to his creator. 'He kept commenting. I hadn't experienced a book staying alive like that before. When the book was awarded... 

'In the life I invent, the darkness disappears.' Writer Thomas Verbogt on his new novel 'Make it beautiful'

Make it beautiful is the title of his new novel, but actually it was a book Thomas Verbogt (69) had been carrying around inside for many years. Now that it has finally been written, he feels lighter. Good person How can you be of essential importance to another person? And what do you have to do to be a good person?.... 

Genevieve Murphy, composer and theatrical performer: 'I like music with rhythm, feeling and drive. Music that makes me dance.' #novembermusic

'I have a special relationship with my stuff. It has to do with certain emotional experiences in my life.' With "The Spot Where I Find Myself", Genevieve Murphy (Scotland, 1988) breaks new ground in exploring her potential as a composer, musician, but above all, a theatrical performer. Those who have been following Murphy for a few years have already noticed her versatility,... 

Inez Wolters creates family performance with Strawinsky circus: 'I believe ten-year-olds can handle a lot' #festivalcircolo

Tilburg-based chamber orchestra Kamerata Zuid, with dancer and choreographer Inez Wolters, performs Igor Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat as a family performance. The performance will premiere this week at Festival Circolo, Holland's largest circus festival, also in Tilburg. Wolters is an all-rounder. With Swarmers, she stages dance on location, with audience participation. She also leads with her wild and... 

Black Pencil meets Gamelan ensemble Kyai Fatahillah: "let it happen, let's experience it, let's see what happens". #Novembermusic

Het Indonesische gamelan-ensemble Kyai Fatahillah komt naar Nederland en bundelt zijn krachten met de hedendaagse muziekspecialisten van Black Pencil. Tijdens November Music zijn ze samen te horen op zaterdag 5 november in de Grote Zaal van de Verkadefabriek in Den Bosch. Maskermysterie Het kamerensemble Black Pencil heeft een originele bezetting: blokfluit, panfluit, altviool, accordeon en slagwerk. Bespeeld door vijf internationale… 

'We will have to learn to live together better.' Writer Julia Navarro explores the why of terrorism in her new novel

Navarro’s achtste roman Vanuit het niets draait om de Libanees-Franse Abir Nasr, wiens ouders en zusje voor zijn ogen worden doodgeschoten door Israëlische soldaten. Abir zweert ooit wraak te zullen nemen. Hij en zijn broertje Ismail komen terecht bij strengreligieuze familie in Parijs, die later naar de wijk Molenbeek in Brussel verhuist. Terwijl Abirs nicht Noura de vrijere leefwijze van… 

'My interest took on some obsessive traits.' Inge Schilperoord delved into the appeal of faith for her new novel

Seven years after her acclaimed debut novel Muidhond, Inge Schilperoord's new book is published. She delved into the experiences of a young Dutch girl attracted to the Islamic faith. When Inge Schilperoord (49) was a forensic psychologist in 2017, she spent time providing psychological examinations at the terrorist ward of a prison, where people suspected of having ties... 

Jesse Huygh balances high level with cystic fibrosis #festivalcircolo

When, at the end of his performance, he stands on top of a five-metre high pole, struggling to keep his balance, the audience holds its breath. As does Jesse himself, but he does not do so voluntarily. We watched him struggle for a performance with oxygen hoses and blood meters, pausing regularly to get air again. What if... 

'When I read all these observations about myself, I was in shock.' Ariëlla Kornmehl on her new novel 'The taxman'

For her new novel The Taxman, Ariëlla Kornmehl did not have to look far for her inspiration. From one day to the next, she herself became a protagonist in a story, as it turned out that her tax consultant harboured a silent obsession for her. "When I read all those observations about myself, I was in shock," she says. After the publication 

'I wanted to be like Jesus'. 6 life insights from Ellen ten Damme

Haar leven is geworden zoals Ellen ten Damme (54) ooit droomde: vrij, opwindend en ze kan leven van haar muziek. Als een troubadour toert ze de komende maanden door het land met haar nieuwe show Barock. ‘Alleen in mijn Franse huis doe ik normale dingen.’ 1. Ik mag mezelf serieus nemen  ‘Als 3-jarige hing ik al aan de hoogste lantaarnpaal. Ik… 

Zeruya Shalev wrote a beautiful novel about mourning: 'I felt the pain as if it happened to me'

Met een fijne, precieze pen schrijft de Israëlische Zeruya Shalev (63) over menselijke relaties. Haar nieuwe roman Lot gaat over wat dierbaren bindt en uit elkaar drijft, en over de verschillende gezichten van rouw. Zinnen die geschreven willen worden Voor sommige schrijvers begint een boek met een beeld, een prangende vraag of een personage dat zich aandient. Voor Zeruya Shalev, een… 

What reviewer comes to see a wildly unknown 58-year-old debutant?

'My show touches, incites self-reflection and is already getting quite a lot of press attention; a substantive review was unfortunately not among them until now. After all, what reviewer comes to see a wildly unknown 58-year-old debutant?' Rata Kloppenburg- theatre maker, cabaret artist & cellist- immediately bursts out at her table in Zwolle. While I have yet to ask a question... 

Writer Mauro Corona: 'With my upbringing, I could have become a killer.'

Een harde, maar ook gevoelige roman is Als een steen in de stroom van Mauro Corona (72), en een weerspiegeling van hemzelf. De Italiaanse schrijver en beeldend kunstenaar wordt in het dagelijks steeds meer als de egel uit zijn boek, die uiteindelijk al zijn stekels laat vallen. ‘Ik probeer de zachtheid die ergens vanbinnen verstopt zit, meer naar buiten te… 

(Update) Nicolas Stemann on his version of 'der Besuch' at the Holland Festival: 'We do take such women very seriously these days.' #HF22

Update 11 May 2022

The comparison with the Derksen affair cited in this article no longer holds true as of this date, as the TV personality has been restored to full glory by the television station that previously 'cancelled' him. From Monday, 16 May, he will return to his old role as a 'grumpy old man' in Today Inside. See the link here.

Tiago Rodrigues directs Isabelle Huppert in The Cherry Garden at the Holland Festival: 'From Chekhov, the best friend of all actors in the world, we play every note.'

'For the first time in my life, I had the opportunity to play all the notes written by Chekhov. It was an intellectual and artistic challenge to really work with Chekhov. I could really let Chekhov be one of the authors of the play, which is very unusual for me. After all, I'm used to writing plays to... 

Ari Folman on Kaboom opening Where is Anne Frank - ode to Anne's imagination

De nieuwe animatiefilm van Ari Folman (Walz With Bashir) Where is Anne Frank is de openingsfilm van het Kaboom animatiefestival. Folman vertelt hoe het beslist een film voor jong publiek moest worden, waarom er een gevlucht meisje uit Afrika in voorkomt, en waarom het concentratiekamp lijkt op de onderwereld uit de Griekse mythologie.

'It was like a disaster movie' Film journalist Lena Rubashevskaya on her flight from Ukraine

Lena Rubashevskaya is a well-known film journalist and documentary filmmaker from Ukraine. She was working on a new film in Donetsk when Russian troops began their invasion of Ukraine. She had to flee headlong. Now, eight days later, she tells us her story from Warsaw. When you listen to her, you understand forever that fleeing war and violence is one of... 

Always a new failure. Why internationally lauded writer László Krasznahorkai experiences all his work as a failure

Great international recognition notwithstanding, Hungarian writer László Krasznahorkai himself considers every novel a failure. 'I strain my brain to the limit, but it never becomes the book it should be. So I start again. And again.' Hope for redemption lost Film adaptations of his novels and winning the prestigious Man Booker International... 

Stefan de Walle plays in 'Poison': 'We hope people will now appreciate extra what they had to miss all this time, just like us actors.'

From this week, try-outs of Poison, about an ex-couple who lost a child, are playing. After the premiere on 19 February in Leiden, as many as 70 performances will follow throughout the country. Actor Stefan de Walle is ready for it. The wonderful play Gif by Lot Vekemans has been performed in 21 shows since its premiere in 2009 at NTGent under Johan Simons,... 

'Weeping people desperately sought family photos'. Franco Faggiani wrote a novel about the earthquakes in Italy

Houses, monuments, shops and streets were wiped off the map. Nearly three hundred people died under the rubble. Franco Faggiani (73) wrote a gripping book about the earthquake that hit central Italy five years ago: Sometimes I'd like to be the wind. Success Whenever possible, Franco Faggiani treks into the northern Italian mountains. Once again, he finds himself in the Piedmontese... 

'Please tell me what happened, because I can't fathom it.' Nicola Lagioia wrote a penetrating book about a brutal murder in Rome.

Five years ago, Rome was rocked by a brutal, bloody murder. Under the influence of cocaine and alcohol, two near-thirties murdered for no reason a young man they did not know. Writer and journalist Nicola Lagioia, like many other compatriots, was gripped by the case. 'This is not just a story about a murder, but above all about loneliness.' Manuel Foffo and... 

KunstZINnig #3: Jasmijn Huisman in conversation with Gershwin Bonevacia, city poet of Amsterdam: ''If I don't write, I find it harder to process events.''

In the third episode of the podcast KunstZINnig, journalist Jasmijn Huisman talks to Amsterdam city poet Gershwin Bonevacia about how poetry gives meaning to his life: 'There is always a fire inside me that I cannot deny. I didn't make the choice to write, I just can't do anything else.' Gershwin Bonevacia is... 

'Birds just passed me by for three quarters of my life' Learn to bird with writer Nicolien Mizee

She could barely tell a sparrow from a wren, and almost gave up birding. But now writer Nicolien Mizee effortlessly recognises a barred siskin or a dipper. Nicolien Mizee's Bird Book is meant to encourage laymen like herself. 'You just experience so much more of your surroundings.' How romantic: the wild swan brought writer Nicolien Mizee and her husband Rob... 

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