Amsterdam-born documentary filmmaker and photographer Carine Bijlsma studied photography in New York and Florence before graduating from the Netherlands Film Academy in 2008. Her graduation film—”The Secret of Boccherini,” an intimate portrait of her father, the cellist Anner Bylsma—won both the Wildcard Award and the Prince Bernard Culture Fund Award, setting her on a path of making music and art documentaries. A whole series of sensitive, insightful films has followed, tackling individuals like composer Louis Andriessen; actress Elsie de Brauw, violinist Rosanne Philippens; and, most notably, elusive neo-soul artist D’Angelo. Her fly-on-the-wall documentary “Devil’s Pie” was seven years in the making, following D’Angelo on tour, traveling with his team, watching rehearsals, getting insights into his inner conflicts. It debuted at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival to critical acclaim, with further recognition at Gary International Black Film Festival and the Netherlands Film Festival. We delved into Carine’s creative process in order to unpack almost a decade’s worth of work.
Stories with Carine Bijlsma