How did Young Guns get on your radar?

It looks very exciting — I’ve been following it for a little while now. I saw other directors from the Netherlands being finalists for the class, and since then it’s been on my radar. Also my producer, Anna Hashmi, is a big fan — so we really wanted to submit for Young Guns this year!

How did you end up in the creative field?

I actually wanted to become an actress. I auditioned for theatre school for four years, and when it didn’t happen I was honestly heartbroken. I had wanted it so badly. So I ended up studying management — not exactly the dream — but it gave me time to breathe.

I started working at a casting agency and that’s really where it began. Being in the room, talking to actors, guiding people… I felt something shift. That feeling of directing started to itch in a way I couldn’t ignore. Through a detour I got into film school. I knew almost nothing about what happened behind the camera, but I did know that I loved stories — and real people, real emotions.

My graduation film Under the Skin got selected for Berlinale. That moment changed everything. I genuinely thought I’d never make a film again after school, and suddenly the opposite happened.

And advertising? I always wanted to bring human, intimate storytelling into commercials. I felt there was so much room for work that felt honest instead of “addy.” I started at a production house in Amsterdam, learned the ropes, and slowly built my own path. Now, five years later, I get to make work that actually feels like me — and I’m very grateful for that.

“I always wanted to bring human, intimate storytelling into commercials.”

Why did you decide to enter this year?

I actually wanted to enter last year already, but something went wrong with the submission, which was a real shame at the time. But maybe it was for the best — I think that growth, of making more work this last year, pushed me into a better place creatively. I really believe things happen for a reason.

I think I’ve matured as an artist. I’m more grounded now. I trust my instincts much more than I did a few years ago. I’ve learned to lean into the kind of stories I care about: intimate, emotional, human — without trying to fit into what people expect from “commercial work” or “film work.”

Working on my feature film gives me more guidance. I pick projects I really love and want to put on my reel — I don’t just want to make advertising to make something. This year I also felt much clearer about my voice: what I want to say, how I want things to feel, and where the emotional center of a piece should sit. I’m less afraid to strip things down. Less is more, in my opinion.

I also found some lovely people around me who help me build my work and career — that feels so powerful.

You only get to submit six projects. How did you decide what made the cut?

I chose the pieces that feel closest to my voice — the work where the storytelling is really at the center. It’s a mix of my short films and commercial projects, but they all share the same emotional core.

These are the projects I’m super proud of. Those are the films that represent me best, so they made the cut.

What was your reaction when you found out you won?

A few weeks ago I saw online that the finalists had been published, so of course I went to check. I got nervous scrolling through the names… and mine wasn’t there. I was honestly a bit disappointed. It’s my last eligible year, and I had been really excited and waiting for the outcome.

I refreshed the page, searched again, but nothing. So I let it go. Then a couple weeks later I suddenly received an email. Apparently the first email had been sent to The Corner Shop office, but the person responsible had already left, so it just sat there unread. That’s how I eventually found out I’d actually won.

I immediately called my producers, and when we were in London together we raised a glass — a small but lovely celebration. But I think the real celebration will be in New York. Winning something through an email still feels a bit abstract, so I can’t wait to meet everyone in person, feel the energy, and celebrate with the other winners.

“Winning something through an email still feels a bit abstract… I can’t wait to meet everyone in person.”

In what ways does where you’re living right now inspire your creativity?

Where I live inspires me in two very different ways. My ambitions are very big city girl — I love the energy of places like New York or London. The pace, the people, the stories on every corner… that world really fuels my drive and my creative hunger. In these cities you see the craft — it’s so strong.

But my brain works differently. I get overwhelmed easily, I’m very sensitive, and I need quiet to actually sit down and write. That’s why Amsterdam is perfect for me. It gives me space to come back to myself, to process everything I’ve seen and heard, and to turn that into something meaningful.

In the end, I’m inspired mostly by people, and that could be anywhere: a conversation on the street, a news article, a podcast, something small someone does without noticing. I won’t say I’ll never move out of Amsterdam — let’s see where the future brings me!

Who are some other creatives that you admire?

I really admire Melina Matsoukas, Adam Berg, Gustav Johansson, Emily Kai Bock, and Jovan Todorovic. What I love is that they all move between fiction/documentary and commercial work, and their advertising projects often feel like short films. There’s a cinematic quality — even in 30 or 60 seconds. It’s commercial work on such a high, international level. That’s something I really aspire to as well.

I’m also very curious how they combine their feature careers with their commercial work. Sometimes it feels like those worlds are completely separate, but for me developing both is essential. I want to be a feature director, but I also want to operate at a high level in advertising. Balancing the two, and protecting your time can be challenging — so I would love to learn how they navigate that.

If you could create a new Young Guns tradition, what would it be — and why?

I would love a kind of “creative speed-dating” tradition. I don’t know if it already exists, but it feels like such a good way to actually connect with each other beyond the awards night.

Short conversations — directors, designers, photographers, writers — all mixing. No pressure, just meeting people you might never walk up to in a crowded room. So many of us work alone or in small teams, and the best thing about something like Young Guns is meeting people who share the same hunger and ambition.

Or maybe a little meet & greet with people from the industry you really admire. I could name a couple I would love to learn from: interesting directors like Eliza Hitman and Noah Baumbach, or people from production houses like A24. Next to that, get introduced to some interesting creatives or agencies!

Name a dream project you’d love to do next. Who would you want to collaborate with?

I would absolutely love to build stronger connections in the New York and L.A. advertising world. My production company (The Corner Shop) is working on that too, but I’m really hoping to meet brands who are not afraid of emotional, story-driven campaigns — the kind of work that feels closer to small films than ads. I love, for instance, what Hello Sunshine does!

Brands like Volvo, WhatsApp, or even Lilly’s are exactly the type of clients I dream of working with. They make beautiful films. For me the most important is the character-driven, story aspect of it.

And next to that… I’m a huge fan of A24. Like, really big. It would be a dream to meet them and develop something together one day. If you ask me what I truly aspire to: it’s creating a feature with them. I already have a few ideas in my head — stories that feel intimate, emotional, and a little raw — and working with A24 would be the ultimate place to grow them. Because I just LOVE what they do.