Femke Huurdeman is a Dutch filmmaker based between London and Amsterdam.

Below are Femke’s selects and what she had to say:

So many films that made an impact on me. These were the ones that came to mind that shaped me as a person and as a filmmaker.

Essential: Films

1. Virgin Suicides (1999)

Directed by Sofia Coppola

The movie that made me want become a director. Dreamy, dark and mysterious. I love Sofia’s eye for detail and poetic storytelling.

2. Hausu (House) (1977)

Directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi

A cult classic horror-comedy from the 70s with insanely cool visual effects and animation. Funny detail, the plot was created by the daughter of the director, that came up with the idea of a house eating humans.

3. Stoker (2013)

Directed by Park Chan-Wook

Not his most acclaimed work, but for me personally a key film and inspiration for building my own visual language. Park Chan Wook is a brilliant filmmaker, master of plot twists. Peeling off layer by layer, revealing dark secrets by his at first seemingly innocent characters.

4. The Shining (1980)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Another key film that made a huge impact on me when I watched it for the first time. I was 16 at the time and I had never seen a film like this before. Haunting yet hypnotizing, surreal and scary, incredibly performed by Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall. Must see is the documentary that Vivian Kubrick made whilst filming the movie as it gives you a great insight into Kubrick directing.

Essential: Music Videos

1. ‘Slow’ Kylie Minoque (2010)

Directed by Baillie Walsh

Simply capturing the essence of the song in a visual that shows you don’t need a billion cuts to create a captivating music video.

2. ‘Bad Girls’ MIA (2012)

Directed by Romain Gavras

Another video that made me wanna create visuals. I still get goosebumps when I see the video. The atmosphere created by Romain Gavras is out of this world.

3. ‘Movement’ IVORY (2014)

Directed by Fleur Fortune

I couldn’t take my eyes off this video when I saw it for the first time. The music feels almost like a soundtrack of a short film here, hypnotizing the viewer, absorbing them into the intimate world of two lovers.

Essential: Campaign

1. ‘Uniqlock’ UNIQLO (2017)

Directed by Yuichi Kodama

I have a thing for (old) Asian commercials that for some reason are more inventive, creative, and funny than any other ads in the world. This one is a playful piece about a woman mimicking a clock.

Essential: Short Film

1. The Walking Fish (2020)

Directed by Thessa Meijer

Very unique, funny, and charming short about a sea creature pursuing her dream to become a human being.