Stories that need to be told. Truth as a craft. From first concept to final cut — I carry each film with full creative vision and obsessive care.
A documentary is not about what happened — it's about why it matters.
I lead every film from the first conversation to the final frame. I shape the story, pacing, and tone — every creative decision flows from one clear singular vision.
Research-driven storytelling. I write the treatment, script the structure, and craft the narrative arc that gives each documentary its backbone and emotional pull.
Budgets, logistics, crew, locations, clearances. I run tight productions that never compromise the creative — from first day of prep to final delivery.
I often operate the camera myself and always cut my own films. There is no gap between what I shoot and what I shape in post — it is one continuous creative act.
I don't make films about people. I make films with them.
I'm Yasmine Quanjel — a documentary filmmaker based in Amsterdam. I'm drawn to the stories that live quietly on the margins: the people, places, and moments that rarely make it to screen.
I work across the full creative pipeline — writing, directing, producing, shooting, and editing. My work has screened at IDFA, Amsterdam Film Festival, and several European short film festivals.
I studied at the Netherlands Film Academy and grew up watching Agnès Varda, Frederick Wiseman, and Chantal Akerman.
Deep immersion in subject, community, and context before a camera is ever picked up.
Story structure, treatment writing, access building, and production planning.
Shooting with intentionality — handheld, observational, intimate. Always in service of truth.
Self-edited, carefully paced. Sound design and colour as storytelling tools, not afterthoughts.
Festival strategy, distribution, and community screenings — the film finds its audience.
Whether you have a story that needs telling, a co-production to pitch, or a commission in mind — I'd love to talk.
yasmine@yasminequanjel.com