Industry: ESTAFET – The Hague’s Makers Climate

Movies that Matter proudly opens the ESTAFET series. Four events that contribute to a dynamic and sustainable film and media ecosystem in The Hague.

This first edition spotlights four The Hague–based makers working across sound, photography, installation, film, and beyond. They will share their practices and engage in a moderated conversation on shaping craft, accessing financing – including creative and alternative models – and exploring diverse presentation spaces. Together, they will reflect on available resources, partnership-building, and the ongoing search for meaningful collaboration, offering insight, inspiration, and solidarity to fellow creators. 

Guest Speakers

Ana Zibelnik 
Ana is a visual artist and photographer from Ljubljana, Slovenia and based in The Hague, Netherlands. She holds an MA in Film and Photographic Studies from Leiden University and a BA in Visual Communication Design from the University of Ljubljana. Since 2020, Ana has been part of an artist duo with Jakob Ganslmeier, working on photography and video projects which address topics such as climate anxiety, online trends, and the impact of extreme ideologies on young people. Through sharing their visual work and conducting visual literacy workshops, they aim to amplify the often overlooked voices of young adults and contribute to reducing societal polarization. 
Ana’s work has been exhibited at Foam, Photo Basel and Verzasca Foto Festival among others. 
 
Anna Kkvyl (Ukraine)  
Ukrainian sound artist, composer, and researcher based in The Hague. A graduate of the Institute of Sonology at the Royal Conservatoire, she works with electroacoustic music, audiowalks, music for moving images, and multichannel installations. Her pieces are often designed to be experienced along specific routes in urban space, composed from sounds and stories. Her work explores the interconnectedness of sound, memory, and social bonds. 

 
Daniel Donato 
Daniel (danieldonato.nl) holds a Bachelor’s degree in Filmmaking (UNISINOS, Brazil, 2010), Specialist in Cinematography (CFP del SICA, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2012), Master in Artistic Research in and through Film (Netherlands Film Academy, 2015) and Master in Cinematography (Viewfinder Erasmus Mundus Joint Master – SZFE Hungary, IADT Ireland and BFM Estonia). 
As a cinematographer, his work was screened at film festivals such as Berlinale, Locarno Film Festival, Sheffield Doc/Fest, DOK Leipzig, Nederlands Film Festival, CPH:DOX, Clermont-Ferrand, Helsinki International Film Festival, Uppsala International Short Film Festival.  

As a director, his short film “Hello my first love, over and out” premiered in the Opening Scenes section of the 39th Visions du Réel (CH). His feature film debut “Call me Agnes” premiered at the Nederlands Film Festival (Gouden Kalf Competitie Speelfilm) and was screened at numerous festivals across Europe and overseas. 

 
Manon Bovenkerk 
Manon is founder of near/by film. She has a background in the visual arts and worked as a programmer and producer for artist initiatives, festivals, exhibition spaces and arthouse cinemas. As a creative producer she is actively involved with the conceptual and formal developments of the film projects. Her aim is to support filmmakers using forms of cinema that cross genres and formats, with the objective to develop modes of production that nurture the process of artistic filmmaking.  
near/by film produces short, mid-length and feature films als well as installations and exhibitions. The focus is on creative documentary, artists’ films and formally exceptional, author-driven fiction, bringing to light underexposed stories and experiences. 

Moderator

Mariia Ponomarova 
Mariia is a film director, creative producer and film industry professional. Mariia studied at Karpenko-Karyi Kyiv National University of Theatre, Cinema & Television in Kyiv and the Netherlands Film Academy in Amsterdam. Mariia’s films were screened at DokLeipzig, IDFA, Sarajevo FF, Sheffield DocFest, Chicago IFF, Krakow FF, HotDocs, Leuven ISFF, Go Short ISFF and more. She is a member of the European Film Academy, a Content Manager of the CineCoPro Conference of Munich IFF and a Senior Consultant at the Documentary Association of Europe. 

Programme  
12:30 – 13:30 | Walk in & Coffe buffet
13:45 – 15:45 | Panel & Q&A 
16:00 – 18:00 | Drinks and networking
 
Estafet is organised in collaboration with Filmhuis Den Haag, WYSIWYG and Qissa as commissioned by Gemeente Den Haag.