PEOPLE
Frans van Gestel
Frans van Gestel has been a film producer since 1996 with an impressive list of awards, including Golden Calves for Best Feature Film with LOVE IS ALL, BLACK BOOK and JOY. In the last fifteen years he has produced over 65 features, drama series, short films and international co-productions. LOVE IS ALL is one of the greatest Dutch box office successes with 1.3 million visitors and various Golden Calf Awards. In addition, Frans van Gestel member of the board of the International Rotterdam Film Festival and he regularly gives marketing workshops for EAVE.
Arnold Heslenfeld
Arnold Heslenfeld has worked for many years as production manager, line producer and producer on films such as THE JOHNSONS, THE DISCOVERY OF HEAVEN and SUPERTEX. In 2003 he became Head of Feature Films at The Dutch Film Fund for six years. In addition, he was a board member of the Maurits Binger Institute (International Post Academic Institute for scenario writers, 1999-2008) and one of the founding fathers of the Film CV, a very successful tax rebate system till 2003. In 2009 he joined Frans van Gestel at IDTV Film. Together they produced JOY, BLACK BUTTERFLIES, THE HEINEKEN KIDNAPPING and other films. Now they continue as partners under the name of Topkapi Films. Arnold is responsible for all financial and legal decisions within the company.
Hedwig Agterbos
Hedwig Agterbos graduated from Utrecht University in Film and Television Studies in 1996. Since then, she has been working as a script editor and script consultant for Dutch public broadcaster VPRO, Motel Films and Lemming Film, among others. In addition, she is an adviser for the Dutch Media Fund. She has been working with Frans van Gestel since 2002. Her work focuses on European art house cinema and talent development in film and television drama.
Laurette Schillings
Laurette Schillings has worked for Motel films and IDTV Film for 10 years, in various capacities, on feature films such as: BLACK BOOK (Paul Verhoeven), STELLET LICHT (Carlos Reygadas), GIGANTE (Adrián Biniez), LOVE IS ALL (Joram Lürsen) and THE MISFORTUNATES (Felix van Groeningen). At Topkapi she is responsible for all international co-productions within the company and focuses on projects that have potential for co-producing in the Netherlands as well as partners abroad that like to participate in one of our productions. In addition, she will produce her own projects on a national level.
Lennie van Scheppingen
Lennie van Scheppingen graduated in Film and Television Studies (Utrecht University) in 2006 and worked since then at Motel Films, IDTV Film and Topkapi Films in different capacities. As project supervisor she specialized in both national and international funding applications. She is responsible for the coordination, compilation, editing and designing of all applications for film and drama projects.
Linda van der Herberg
Linda van der Herberg joined Motel Films shortly after its founding in 1996 and, except for a three-year break, has been working there ever since in different capacities. She started out as office manager and production coordinator, and later spent several years as a project controller. At Topkapi Films she's back to office management and is responsible for organizing and coordinating office operations and assisting the producers.
Ger Bouma
Ger Bouma worked as an exhibitor and distributor before he became one of the first employees of the Netherlands Filmfund, in 1984. He left the Filmfund after 28 years at the end of 2012, and in those years he was active a.o. as Head of Feature Film and Head of Coproduction. In addition he is now still advisor for the Filmfund for the national festival applications. For Topkapi Films he will be scouting for possible minority coproductions and talent for film, nationally and abroad.
Judy Maat
Judy Maat has been working in the Dutch film industry since 1993 and worked many years with Motel Films and IDTV Film. She started as Production Manager and later as Line Producer and Delegate Producer on several Features and TV Drama. Worked on features such as JACKY, THE PARADISE GIRLS, IN ORANGE, LANGER LICHT, WITH GREAT JOY, R U THERE , and as executive producer Europe for SHANGHAI TRANCE.
Lennart Barewijk
Lennart Barewijk has been working in the film industry since 2005. After numerous film and television projects in several production capacities, he moved from production work to finance, working on films such as THE HEINEKEN KIDNAPPING, CODE BLUE, ONLY DECENT PEOPLE, and now does the general bookkeeping of Topkapi Films.
Anita Voorham
After studying Film and Television at the University of Amsterdam, Anita worked as a script-editor for production companies and Dutch public broadcaster NTR, and wrote for the tv-series GOOISCHE VROUWEN. Currently she is a script consultant for several international development labs such as the Binger Filmlab, the Nipkow programme, Venice Biennale College - Cinema and Torino Filmlab where she is also involved in scouting and selection. Additionally, she serves on the selection committee for CineMart.
Topkapi Films loves and cares for (making) films for the Dutch and foreign market. Feel free to contact us with any enquiries.
