Hi there. I’m Leonor Plantenga, a Dutch-Brazilian director, screenwriter, and installation artist based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. I speak Dutch, Portuguese, English and Spanish.
Film
In filmmaking I enjoy writing and directing small, realistic scripts, often told from a female perspective. I also love experimenting with storytelling forms. I encourage actors to improvise and follow their impulses, aiming to make the performance more realistic. I enjoy working with both professional actors and non-actors. So far, I primarily create coming-of-age films. I really enjoy working with children and young adults. On set, I embrace unexpected changes and maintain flexibility in my process. I view mistakes in acting as unwritten gifts.
Documentary
I am currently working on my first documentary project about the electronic music scene in Tromsø, Norway. My curiosity and ability to make people feel at ease and speak openly about themselves helps me a lot in making documentaries. I love to learn new about new subjects and things.
My dream is to create Dutch arthouse cinema and directing more medium-length / features and documentary films. Social and political themes play a significant role in my work. Injustice is something that makes me angry. I see these feelings of anger as a powerful source of energy for creation. With my Dutch-Brazilian background, I hover somewhere between two cultures and two languages—a perspective I consider an enrichment and a strength.
Installation
Since I was little I’ve been working on three-dimensional work. During my studies in Breda I mostly worked on building installations. I made Panopticon (2020) about the importance of privacy in a society where we are constantly being tracked. In 2022 I made A Sound of Energy about the fascination of waves and everything in the whole universe consisting of the same ingredients. I like to work with recycled materials and sustainability is an important factor in the material choices I make.
Leonor Plantenga 