Boudewijn Koole (born 1965) is a Dutch director and producer. He is mostly known for his drama film Kauwboy (2012).
Koole was born in Leiden in 1965 and spent his childhood in Nuenen, North Brabant. He studied at Delft University of Technology, where he earned a master’s degree in industrial design. As a self-taught filmmaker, he began his career making documentaries for the Dutch television program Villa Achterwerk, broadcast by the VPRO. Some of his most notable documentary works include Tommie (2000), In Belfast is a Wall (2001), Zooey (2004), and Gilliard (1996), which was nominated for an International Emmy Award.
After several years of producing and directing documentaries, Koole expanded his repertoire to include fiction films. In 2012, he made his fiction feature debut with Kauwboy, which was a national and international success, was selected as the Dutch entry for the Academy Awards, and won the Best First Feature Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. In 2016 he won the Dutch Award for Best Direction for Beyond Sleep (2016), and the following year his film Disappearance (2017) received the Cineuropa Award at the Les Arcs European Film Festival
The characters in his fiction films often explore existential and universal themes such as loss, fear, and death. In an interview with CineSud, Koole stated that he is particularly interested in the parent-child relationship and the interplay between what originates from the individual and what is shaped by the environment.
Witfilm: Creative producer and Co-founder Koole is a co-founder of Witfilm (2006), a production company dedicated to innovative, artistically driven films together with Iris Lammertsma. Witfilm focuses on creative, social, and youth documentaries, as well as arthouse films. Under Koole’s leadership as creative producer, Witfilm has produced and co-produced films that have been nominated for and won awards, including: - International Emmy Award (Arts Programming) for Dance or Die (2019)
- Best Doc at Prix Europa 2021 for Shadow Game (2021)
- Best Dutch Children's Film Award at CineKid for Liefjes (2024)
- Best Short Documentary at Dutch Academy awards for Mijn Vader, Nour en ik (2023)
- Best Documentary at IDFA for Dood in de Bijlmer (2020)
Besides his producing work Koole also coaches’ filmmakers, nationally and internationally, in writing and directing.
Filmography (Selection)
Upcoming projects TitleTypeStatusDirectorProducerLinkTower StoriesFeature FilmPost-productionPeter Greenaway Facing East Entertainment, Witfilm, Jumpy Cow Pictures, The Family.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7675204/MeisFeature FilmDevelopmentBoudewijn KooleWitfilm, Kärnfilm, Umedia.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40642675/?ref_=nm_flmg_job_1_accord_1_unrel_cdt_t_1
Feature Films YearTitleFunctionTypeAwards/Notes2024Hokwerda’s ChildWriter, Director & ProducerFeature film, 124 minAdaptation of the novel by Oek de Jong. Screenplay and direction. Witfilm.2022Modern Love AmsterdamWriter & DirectorTV series episodeAmazon Original series. Screenplay and direction. NL Film.2017DisappearanceDirector Feature film, 80 minCineuropa Prize (Les Arcs), Best Film (French jury).2016Beyond SleepWriter & Director Feature film, 90 minDutch Academy Award for Best Direction, opening film IFF Rotterdam.2012KauwboyWriter & DirectorFeature film, 80 minFirst Feature Award (Berlinale), European Discovery Award, numerous international awards.
Documentaries YearTitleTypeFunctionAwards/Notes2019Dance or DieDocumentaryCreative ProducerInternational Emmy Award (Arts Programming), Nomination Golden Rose Award2002DelusionDocumentaryCamera & DirectionOn the necessity of imagination in schizophrenic patients.2001There is a Wall in BelfastDocumentaryCamera & DirectionRunner-up Golden Gate Festival San Francisco.1996GilliardDocumentaryDirectionRunner up for the International Emmy Award.
Awards and Nominations (Selection) JaarPrijsFestivalFilmUitslag2017Audience Award European Film Festival of LecceDisappearancewon2017Special Jury AwardEuropean Film Festival of LecceDisappearancewon2017Award for special contribution for the northern cinemaNoordelijk Film FestivalDisappearancewon2017Cineuropa Award- best film by French Film CriticsFilm Festival Les ArcsDisappearancewon2017ScreenedFilm festival TorontoDisappearanceselected2016Opening film Rotterdam Film FestivalBeyond Sleepselected2016Best DirectorDutch directors guildBeyond Sleepnominated2016Best DirectorDutch academy awardsBeyond Sleepwon2013Best short dance film- Audience Award Cinedans Off Groundwon2013Golden Calf Dutch academy awardsOff Groundnominated2012Award for best Youth Film Berlinale Kauwboywon 2012Best First Feature Award Berlinale Kauwboywon 2012Grand Prix of the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk Berlinale Kauwboywon 2012European Discovery - Prix FipresciEuropean Film AwardsKauwboywon 2012Young audience awardEuropean Film AwardsKauwboywon2014Golden Calf Best EditingHappily Ever Afterwon2007Golden CalfBest television drama Drawn Out Lovenominated
References
External links