Aliefka

Writing & Projects

NOVELS

  • SANDBLASTED (Gezandstraald), publishing house Augustus, 2007. Sandblasted is set on the island where I was born, Curaçao. It analyses the question how identity is formed and what we can claim as our home.
    Sandblasted was nominated for a literary prize in the Netherlands for first-time novelists. It is only available in Dutch, but Sam Garrett has translated the first scenes, which you can read here .
  • THE CONSUL GENERAL’s WIFE (Mede Namens Mijn Vrouw), publishing house Augustus/Atlas Contact, 2010. Translated by Kate Brown and available in English on  amazon.com and iTunes. In this interview I explain how the translation came about.

Emma Garman reviews book for NY Magazine and interviewed me for Words Without Borders.
“The sad and tragi-comic tale of an aging diplomat and his downfall, which reverberates through the lives of those around him, The Consul General’s Wife is an astute portrait of universal human foibles, set against the intriguingly unfamiliar backdrop of modern Embassy life.”

Russell Shorto, author and contributing writer for New York Times Magazine.
“The Consul General’s Wife is set in the rarified world of Dutch diplomats, but the expertly drawn characters who inhabit it represent a much broader spectrum of humanity. Urbane, worldly, world-weary, scheming: they seem ultimate creatures of our age. Then again, Aliefka’s Bijlsma’s rich novel calls to mind most of all the work of Graham Greene–which suggests that we are dealing with a category of human experience that is timeless.”

Film & TV

  • PRODUCER: feature film ‘Kain’. Producing partner: Mildred Roethof / HNF. Coproducer: We Need Dreams. Writer: Ellen Barendregt. Director: Gabriel Bauer. Idea and lead actor: Daniël Gellvoet. Currently in pre-production, principal photography starts May 2024. 
  • SCREENPLAY & CREATIVE PRODUCER: action comedy ‘Hustle’ – cowriter Yan Ting Yuen. Production company: Nijenhuis & Co. Distributor  DFW. Dutch Filmfund has granted screenplay development funding.
  • SCREENPLAY & CREATIVE PRODUCER: Television film for Dutch broadcaster KRONCRV. Co-writer: Ellen Barendregt. Director: Janne Schmidt. Production company JOCO Media. Currently in pre-production, principal photography starts March 2024. 
  • WRITER’s ROOM: Drama series ‘Case study’ for commercial streamer Videoland. Lead writer: Dorien Goertzen. Production company: NL Film. Final phase of photography.
  • CREATIVE PRODUCER: documentary ‘Liesje’ for Videoland. Director/Producer Mildred Roethof. Released on Videoland October 2021.
  • SCREENPLAY: feature film ‘Moroccan Wedding’, developed with and idea by Mina el Hannaoui. Producers Johan Nijenhuis & Ingmar Menning (Nijenhuis & Co). Currently in production/princpal photography. Release 2022. 
  • SCREENPLAY: feature film ‘Babies Etc.’ director Johan Nijenhuis, producer Ingmar Menning (Nijenhuis & Co). Completed, release Sept. 2021.
  • WRITER’s ROOM/THROUGH LINES: TV series ‘Swanenburg’, based on an idea by Edward Stelder and created by Dorien Goertzen & Simone van den Ende. Producers: Key Film & Stepping Stone. KRONCRV. Completed, 1st episode 19th July 2021.
  • DRAMATURGY: TV series ‘Benghazi International’, created by Waldemar Torenstra, lead writer Tal Miller (Israel). Production company: NL Film. NTR. In development.
  • WRITER AND PRODUCER: TV series ‘Driss’, with Edward Stelder & Asis Aynan, in co-production with broadcaster BNNVARA. In development.
  • CO-CREATOR ORIGINAL FORMAT: TV series ‘Atrocity’, idea by  Pieter Bart Korthuis and Alon Aranya. Producers: Ekeby & Fiction Valley. AVROTROS. In development.
  • HEAD DEVELOPMENT: feature film ‘The Marriage Escape’ (De Beentjes van St. Hildegard), by Herman Finkers & director Johan Nijenhuis. Production company: Nijenhuis & Co. Released 2019.
  • CREATIVE PRODUCER: television film ‘When Mummy Went to War’ (Zomer Zonder Mama). Screenwriter Kate Brown, director Sanne Vogel, producers Johan Nijenhuis & Ingmar Menning (Nijenhuis & Co). Prinicpal photography starts May 2018. 
  • CREATIVE PRODUCER: feature films ‘Amira’s Guitar’ (Goed voor Elkaar), financed through Cinema Junior procedure of the Dutch Film fund. Screenwriter Kate Brown, director Sanne Vogel, producers Johan Nijenhuis & Ingmar Menning (Nijenhuis & Co). Eerste fase ontwikkeling gehonoreerd.
  • CREATIVE PRODUCER: feature film ‘Men from Mars’ (Mannen van Mars). Screenwriter Hans Somers, director Hans Somers, producers Johan Nijenhuis & Ingmar Menning (Nijenhuis & Co). Theatrical release march 2018.
  • DRAMATURGY: feature film ‘Boys will be Boys’ (Onze Jongens). Screenwriter Annelou Verboon, director Johan Nijenhuis, producers Johan Nijenhuis & Ingmar Menning (Nijenhuis & Co). Theatrical release 2017.
  • HEAD DEVELOPMENT: feature film ‘Skirt Day’ (Rokjesdag), by  director Johan Nijenhuis. Production company: Nijenhuis & Co. Released 2016.
  • HEAD DEVELOPMENT: feature film ‘Crazy Happy’ (Gek van Geluk), by  director Johan Nijenhuis. Production company: Nijenhuis & Co. Released 2017.
  • SCREENPLAY: feature film ‘Hong Kong Sister‘. Director Yan Ting Yuen, producer Maarten Swart (Kaap Holland). In development.
  • TV FORMATS/PITCHES: I have developed and written many formats and pitches for TV series. Examples available per request.
  • SCREENPLAYS (10 episodes): children’s TV series ‘The Lion Pit’ (De Leeuwenkuil), together with screenwriter Sander de Regt. Director Diede in ‘t Veld, producers Johan Nijenhuis & Ingmar Menning, broadcaster Tros. Broadcast in 2013.
  • SCREENPLAY: feature film ‘Solo’. Producer Reinier Selen (Rinkel Film). Solo was commissioned by the Dutch Film fund in 2007 and selected for the North by Northwest screenplay programme of the EU. Plans are evolving to bring this screenplay back to life.  
  • SCREENPLAY (one episode) : TV series ‘Het wetboek van Milo’. Producer Alain de Levita (NL Film). Broadcaster VTM & Net5. Broadcast in 2008.
  • DIRECTOR, SCREENPLAY & CAMERA: mockumentary ‘Tramp‘. With Nestor Sanz. Producer Arry Voorsmit (Riba Filmproductions). 2007.
  • DIRECTOR, CAMERA & EDITOR: music video ‘Get in the Pit’ for The Milwaukee Wildmen. Producer Erik Schut (Rocketta Film). 2003.
  • SCREENPLAY (co-author): feature film ‘Adrenaline’, together with director Roel Reiné. Theatrical release 2003.

Op-eds and Magazines

  • OP-ED in newspaper Het Parool: ‘Meer dan zwarte bladzijde’, 1 July 2013. About how Dutch government should take responsibility over the Dutch slave history which lasted over 200 years.
  • OP-ED in newspaper NRC Handelsblad:  ‘Nederland is oorzaak van puinhoop Curaçao’,(the Netherlands has caused the mess in the Dutch Caribbean), 24 October 2012.
  • SEMINARS for publishers about self-publishing when this was new for Holland, 2011/2012. Seminars to expats and international companies about Dutch Culture in collaboration with John Adams Institute and The American Book Center.
  • COLUMN for magazine Flair:  ‘Chillen zoals op de Antillen’, how we can learn from the islanders of Curaçao. 2011, # 30.
  • OP-ED in newspaper Antilliaans Dagblad: ‘De Meerwaarde van Curaçao’ (The Relevance of Curaçao) 3 Dec 2010.
  • COLUMN in newspaper NRC Handelsblad: ‘Op zoek naar een school‘ (Finding the Right School), 17th May 2010.
  • COLUMN in online magazine Nieuw Wij: about finding a sense of self in this globalised world, June 2009.
  • ARTICLE in feminist magazine Opzij: Feb. 2009 about the sexually controversial (or liberating?) novel ‘Genade’ (Mercy) by Tina Weemoed.
  • OP-ED in newspapers NRC Handelsblad and NRC Next!: ‘Een pot verf is zo onschuldig niet’,(A Pot of Paint), April 2009.
  • STORY in magazine De Beeldenaar: ‘Een Nederlandse Munt in Brazilië’ (A Dutch coin in Brazil), September 2008.

More

  • SHORT STORY, ‘Fasten Your Seatbelt!’, publishing house Trademark. 2008.
  • PLAY ‘Home’ performed in Cosmic Theater in Amsterdam. Director Ruurt de Maeschalk. 2001.
  • VARIOUS LEGAL PUBLICATIONS about Labor Law while working as Phd & researcher at the University of Amsterdam as aan de UVA en het Hugo Sinzheimer Instituut. 1998-2000.
  • EDITOR to a Legal Journal on Labor Law and Socal Law, Kluwer. 1998-2000.
  • EDITOR to another Legal Journal about collective bargain organisations – ‘Rechtspraak voor Medezeggenschap’, Samson. 1998-2000.

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