© Miriam Guttmann
About
Joosje Duk is a (screen)writer and director who aims to create socially conscious content through a colorful lens. Most recently, Joosje wrote and directed her debut feature film for Netflix, HAPPY ENDING, a Dutch comedy about the female orgasm, which had a worldwide release in the fall of 2023. In its release week, the film made it to #3 on the Global Top 10 list on Netflix. The film has over 6.6 million views and has been in the Top 10 in 46 countries across the world. The film stars Gaite Jansen (Peaky Blinders), Martijn Lakemeier (BBC’s Marie Antoinette) & Joy Delima (Netflix: Dirty Lines). Joosje made the film after winning the Netflix New Voices script contest in 2021.
Up next, Joosje is one of three directors on the six-episode international drama series MÁXIMA, telling the life story of the Argentinian-born Dutch Queen Máxima Zorreguieta, starring Delfina Chaves and Martijn Lakemeier. Joosje directed the part of the series that takes place in New York, where Máxima lived and worked on Wall Street in the late 90s. The series will be released in 2024.
In 2016, Joosje graduated from NYU with the short film NIGHT, a drama about micro-aggressions, starring Rachel Hilson (This is Us, Love, Victor). The film won the HuffPost Arts Impact Award, was selected for over 25 film festivals, gained over a million views online and screened at Disney’s studios.
In 2018, Joosje’s Dutch short film THIN ICE screened at the Oscar-qualifying Hamptons and Atlanta Film Festival. In collaboration with Dutch network VPRO, Joosje wrote and directed her first pilot, GAPPIES in 2019. This led her to direct her first web series, #FITGIRLS. In 2020, Joosje wrote & directed the 8-episode comedy web series ALMOST STARRING. The series lead actress got nominated for a Golden Calf (Dutch Oscar) at the Netherlands Film Festival 2021 and premiered internationally at the Austin Film Festival.
In the fall of 2021, Joosje’s non-fiction literary debut, I’LL SEE YOU AT THE EXIT, was released. The book is an ICU diary about her father’s battle with covid. Joosje is currently in development of her first US feature, SUNSHOWERS, a whimsical story exploring mental health issues through the eyes of a young woman who loses her sight of color. The film was selected for the Tribeca x Epic Games ‘Writing in Unreal’ workshop.
Joosje has taught camera acting lessons at the Codarts and Fontys performing arts schools. She enjoys modern art, running across the Williamsburg Bridge, wearing colorful dresses and eating chocolate. To be able to work on both continents, Joosje travels between New York and The Netherlands.
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Background
Joosje grew up in The Netherlands where she began acting at a young age. At fifteen, she got cast as lead character Mirjam in the successful children's television series SNUF DE HOND (SNUF THE DOG).
At seventeen, Joosje moved to NYC to study at New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. There, she majored in Filmmaking, Acting & Journalism. During her time at NYU, Joosje created the video series MINUTE WITH A MODEL for Marie Claire Magazine and portrayed the role of Johanna Bennemin in Dutch feature film PUBLIEKE WERKEN (A NOBLE INTENTION), directed by Joram Lürsen. In her junior year, Joosje wrote, directed and starred in her first short film HEAVY FEATHERS. As an actress, Joosje made her US television debut in the tv special WET SHAPES on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim channel.