Ineke Smits | CV
Ineke Smits graduated in 1984 as a designer, photographer and video artist from the Willem de Kooning Academy. From 1989 she studied film directing and script writing at the National Film and Television School in England, where she completed her Master in 1994. Subsequently she collaborated with novelist Arthur Japin on a few fiction shorts she directed for Dutch broadcasters VPRO and NTR. In 2001 their first award winning feature Magonia premiered at Toronto International Film Festival. In 2002/03 she received a Nipkow Fellowship to work in Berlin, and in 2004 she developed the first draft of a feature script, The House of my Fathers at the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam. With this project she also participated in EAVE. Her second feature The Aviatrix of Kazbek closed in 2010 the International Film Festival Rotterdam. In 2011 she participated with designer Paul Swagerman and artist Daan Roosegaarde in the Mediafonds@Sandberg Workshop, where Ineke researched new forms of storytelling for their transmedia project The Oblivious.
Between 1998 en 2008 Ineke wrote and directed seven Award-winning documentaries, amongst them Putin’s Mama, Transit Dubai and Little Man, Time and the Troubadour. All were presented at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam, DOKleipzig and other international festivals.
As a producer Ineke was co-founder and head of development of Volya Films between 2004 and 2009. She participated in the Story Editing workshop by Franz Rodenkirchen and the Sources 2 Workshop for script editors. With Jeroen Stout she founded in 2011 their company Stout&Smits. As a script- and project coach Ineke works on various international projects. She lives and works in The Netherlands and Georgia.
Relevant professional experience
1996 - 2000 Tutor Audio Visual Arts, Arts Academy Arnhem
1996 - 2002 Board Member TBA/ Montevideo
1997 - 2004 Tutor workshops script & documentary, Master St Joost, Breda Master Design Academy Eindhoven.
2002/3 Film Workshop Rotterdam Media Fund
2003- 2008 Advisor Mediafund for Cultural Broadcasters.
2004 Reader European Pitch Point
2004 - 2009 Co-founder and head of development Volya Films BV
2007 - present Advisor Hubert Bals Fund
2007 - 2012 Board Member Binger Filmlab
2008 - 2015 Evaluations expert Mediafund
2010 Workshop Time in Film, Arts Academy, Tilburg
2012- 2016 Permanent member of the Documentary Commission of the Flemish Film Fund
2012 Along the Border - Masterclass for young Dutch and Turkish documentary makers
in Nijmegen and Gaziantep
2012 Chair of the Viewbook Photostory International Competition voor photographers
2014 Masterclass about the filmmakers signature, at IDFA 2015
2018 Workshop Storytelling for the Screen- Tbilisi
2018 Head of Studies of the CineDOC Tbilisi Summerschool
2020 - Project coach and creative producer voor Nushi Film, Tbilisi
2020 - 2021 1-year DDG- mentorship Aiman Hassani
april 2022 - Workshop acting for the camera for 3rd year students at the ArtEz Actors School Arnhem
Guest Lecturer at University of Amsterdam, Arts Academy Utrecht, Film Academy Amsterdam, Missouri University/Center for the Digital Globe, USA, Institute for Film & Theatre Tbilisi, GIPA Tbilisi, Willem de Kooning Art Academy Rotterdam, American University in Dubai.
In development
WHITE NOISE Experimental feature film set in the activist clubbing scene of the Georgian capital Tbilisi. Script: Ineke Smits, Jeroen Stout Direction: Ineke Smits
Development supported by DirectorsNL Fund, Dutch Film Fund, Creative Europe
VOLUNTEERS OF WAR
Feature documentary about the attraction to war. On basis of fighters, witnesses and interpreters of the violence of war this film essay ventures into the dark side of the human soul.
Development supported by the Dutch Film Fund, Prince Bernhard Culture Fund and VEVAM Fund
Films, projects & scripts
2021 - THE BRIDGE A feature film script and multi-media installation based on the stories and memories of Magnum photographer Thomas Dworzak, embedded with the Georgian troops in Afghanistan and Irak.
Photobook/film script/installation by Ineke Smits, Jeroen Stout & Thomas Dworzak
2019 LITTLE MAN, TIME AND THE TROUBADOUR - 108’/ creative documentary
Visual artist Sipa Labakhua travels through Abkhazia with his object theatre, looking for the national soul of his small, unknown fatherland. A roadmovie that sheds new light on a highly topical question in a world that is on fire: What is a country? Script&direction: Ineke Smits
The Filmkitchen, in coproduction with IKON/EO, Stout&Smits and IntiFlim, Belgium
2015 IN LIMBO - 20’ / soundwalk for the art exhibition Gimme Shelter, commissioned by curator Sacha Bronwasser.
Three ghosts from different times meet each other at the overgrown ruins of the Dutch fort Fort Nieuwersluis. One of them is not aware yet, that he has died. Script&direction: Ineke Smits, Jeroen Stout. Sound design: Mark Glynne Production: Stout&Smits
2014 STAND BY YOUR PRESIDENT - 92’ / feature documentary
Sandra Roelofs, a Dutch girl from Terneuzen, became the First Lady of exotic but politically instable Georgia. After ten years in office her husband, the now controversial President Michael Saakashvili, cannot be re-elected. Script by Ineke Smits.
Premiere IDFA 2014, cinema release march 2015, several international Film Festivals.
2013 EEN HAAGSE AFFAIRE - sound installation for The National Archive, commissioned by curator Nancy Hovingh.
In the late 1700’s Sophia Noortwijck and her mother were sentenced by the Dutch Court for prostitution, forgery and theft. The court case against these ‘nouveau riche’ of the Golden Age culminated in a scandal, that destroyed Sophia’s reputation. A surround soundscape is vented in the exhibition, while Sophia’s private life is featured in 5 separate scenes on headphones.
Script&direction: Stout&Smits. Music&sound design: Jan-Bas Bollen
Production: Stout&Smits
2010 THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS
Feature film script by Ineke Smits, adapted from Jorn Riel’s books with the same title.
Supported by Media and Filmfund
2009 THE AVIATRIX OF KAZBEK - 110’ / The Netherlands, Belgium, Georgia
Feature film set against the uprise of Georgian soldiers on the Dutch island of Texel in 1945.
Script Arthur Japin & Ineke Smits
Closing Film - International Film Festival Rotterdam, Press Prize Commersant for Best Film – Moscow International FF, Nomination European Film Awards 2010, Film Festivals Sao Paulo, Cottbus, Cluj, Sevilla, Batumi, Chennai, and others
2008 TRANSIT DUBAI - 72’ & 57’/The Netherlands
Documentary about the rapidly arising city of Dubai, seen through the eyes of four photography students. Script by Ineke Smits
Premiered at IDFA-Amsterdam 2008. Winner of the Audience Award at Gdansk Film Festival 2009, and shown at various international Film Festivals
2005 BLACK GOLD UNDER NOTECKA FOREST - 58’ / The Netherlands, Documentary about the impoverished inhabitants of a Polish forest, under which the biggest oilfield of Poland has been discovered. Script by Ineke Smits.
Premiered at IDFA-Amsterdam 2005, Silver Wolf Competition. Special Mention of the Jury at Zagreb Dox 2006, In competition at various International Film Festivals
2003 PUTIN'S MAMA - 51’/The Netherlands, Georgia. Documentary about Vera Putina, who lives in a small Georgian village and believes to be the mother of Russian president Vladimir Putin. NPS-National Dutch Television. Script by Ineke Smits.
Nomination Silver Wolf Award at IDFA 2003, Winner HotDocs best Dutch documentary in National Programme, Toronto, Nomination for the Golden Statue for best documentary 2004 in the Netherlands, Special Mention of the Jury, Zagreb Dox. In competition in Docaviv, Thessaloniki Docfest, Chicago, Belgrade Docfest, USA (various), Riga FF, Tbilisi FF, Sfantu Gheorghu FF, Warsawa FF, and many others
2001 MAGONIA - 112'/The Netherlands, France, Georgia. Feature film about a father who tells stories to his son, shot in Georgia, the Netherlands and France. Script Arthur Japin & Ineke Smits
>Winner of the Circulo Precolombino de Oro for Best Film, Colombia, Winner of the Golden Tulip in Istanbul IFF 2002, Turkey, Special Mention of the Jury at Festroia 2002, Portugal. In Competition San Sebastian FF 2001, Mannheim FF 2001, Tbilisi IFF 2001, FIFF Creteil 2002, Bonn Filmmusik Biennale 2002, Brussels Age d’Or 2002, Leeds IFF 2002, Riga IFF 2002, MedFilm Rome 2002, Official Selection Toronto FF 2001, Goteborg FF 2002, Santa Fe FF 2001, Rotterdam IFF 2002, Chicago 2002, Mar del Plata FF, Singapore IFF, Petersburg FF 2002, Karlovy Vary IFF 2002, Madrid IFF 2002, Djakarta FF 2002, Bergen FF
1999 NOSTALGIA - 56'/Georgia-The Netherlands, Georgia. Documentary about the effects of civil war in Georgia on a group of friends.
Script & directed by Tato Kotetishvili & Ineke Smits
Premiere at International Film Festival Rotterdam 1999, The Netherlands. Official Competition Leipzig Film Festival 1999, Germany, Winner of the Grand Prize at the International Documentary Festival 2000, Taiwan
1996 THE CLOUD FACTORY - 25'/The Netherlands
Short fiction for NOS National Television
Script by Arthur Japin
1996 A WHORE’S SERMON - 45'/The Netherlands
Short fiction for VPRO National Television
Script by Arthur Japin
1994 SIRKO - 38'/The Netherlands-England
Short fiction, graduation film NFTS
Script by Ineke Smits
1992 ROSE, VIOLET & LILY - 22' /The Netherlands, Georgia. Short fiction, supported by Hubert Bals Fund. Written & directed by Ineke Smits & Tato Kotetishvili
Opening film at the Rotterdam Filmfestival 1992
1989 MONAS PLEN - 50' /The Netherlands
Short fiction inspired on a short story by Italo Calvino. Written & directed by Ineke Smits
Rotterdam Filmfestival, and several other international festivals
1984-88 Various video-art pieces, some in collaboration with designer Gerard Hadders.