Kylian Weijers
Documentary Filmmaker, Editor & Researcher
Amsterdam-based documentary filmmaker exploring the shifting boundaries of society. My work is rooted in a generation looking for new ways of telling stories. That is why as a filmmaker I create narratives that disrupt old ideas and introduce fresh perspectives, so that change becomes tangible – on a personal as well as a collective level.
- Services:
- DIRECTION
I oversee the entire documentary process—from concept development and research to hands-on direction. Whether it’s social-impact films, branded content or behind-the-scenes storytelling, I work closely with you (and your team) to shape stories that make an impact.
- EDITING
I work hand in hand with directors/creatives to bring their vision to life while forging a strong connection with their intended audience. By carefully listening to each story’s emotional core, I help clarify, strengthen, and elevate it through nuanced pacing and inventive editing choices.
- RESEARCH
I write comprehensive story treatments, film plans and funding applications, and offer script coaching. I help refine your vision and structure narratives that transcend traditional boundaries.
Ready to collaborate? Contact me
SONOGI: THE WOMAN IN BLUE
INSTAGRAM DOCUMENTARY & VIDEO INSTALLATION, PREMIERING MARCH 23 ON INSTAGRAM.SYNOPSIS – For centuries, history has overlooked the women who shaped it.
Between 1641 and 1859, during Japan’s period of national isolation (Sakoku), the country’s only window to the outside world was a small, artificial island in Nagasaki: Deshima. Few were allowed to cross its bridge.
Among them were the Yujo (遊女) of Maruyama—courtesans highly trained in art, conversation, and cultural diplomacy. They were the only Japanese women permitted onto Deshima, serving as entertainers, confidantes, and unwitting mediators between East and West. They carried culture, trade secrets, and political intelligence across worlds. Yet, their contributions remain largely absent from historical records.
One of these women was Sonogi (其扇). A courtesan. A mother. A mediator. A witness to history. Her story was reduced to a footnote, overshadowed by the men she encountered.
But now, she tells her story from her perspective.
Reclaiming the lost voices of the Yujo through film, artefacts, and immersive storytelling. Full film screenings at exhibitions in Tokyo (March 23 – April 1, 2025) and Amsterdam (May 3 – 10, 2025).
DIRECTORS – Willemiek Kluijfhout & Kylian Weijers
PRODUCER: Willemiek Kluijfhout
D.O.P. – Remko Schnorr
EDITOR & SOUND DESIGN – Kylian Weijers
COLORIST – Remi Lindenhovius
PERFORMANCE – Chitose Ohchi
ART DIRECTOR – Eiko Ishizawa
ASST CAMERA & VO TRANSLATION – Keiji Ito
IN COLLABORATION WITH – WJA Docs | Posthuman Docs | REMI Colourstudio | C& | ‘t Japans Cultureel Centrum | Shibaura House | Tokyo October | FEELSEEN Ginza Gallery | P///AKT Amsterdam | DutchCulture Internationale Erfgoedsamenwerking Matchingfonds | Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Japan
NEW WAVE: FUTURE VOICES IN ART (Forthcoming)
DOCUMENTARY SHORT (10’)SYNOPSIS – Originally developed in the context of the exhibition NEW WAVE: Future Voices in Art, this director’s cut of New Wave expands its vision in additional sound design by Jurriaan Kruithof next to Ranie Ribeiro’s original composition, deepening its exploration of home as a process of becoming. Through a poetic and observational lens, the film immerses the viewer in the symbiotic act of creation—where artists, materials, and environments merge in an ever-evolving dialogue.
Guided by the philosophy of the rhizome, the film rejects fixed structures, instead embracing fluidity and transformation. Artists navigate shifting identities and contexts as nomadic subjects, their hands shaping materials that, in turn, shape them. In this interplay, home is not a place but a process—a state of constant emergence.
Abstract, tactile imagery captures the raw intimacy of creation: hands weaving, sculpting, assembling. Poetic visual sequences elevate the presence of materials as active participants, echoing Object-Oriented Ontology’s view that non-human entities possess agency. Voiceovers from the artists reflect on their evolving relationship with their work, each story adding a thread to the larger tapestry of interconnectedness.
Soon to be released.
WRITTEN & DIRECTED – Kylian Weijers
FILMED & EDITED – Kylian Weijers
SOUND RECORDING: Fay Mohamed
COMPOSER – Ranie Ribeiro
SOUND DESIGN – Jurriaan Kruithof
FEATURED ARTISTS
Sunny Dolat (The Nest Collective)
Nifemi Marcus-Bello
Elejandro Martinez
Marga Weimans
Yuro Moniz
Ameneh Solati
Frank Remak
IN COLLABORATION WITH – DAR Cultural Agency | Stedelijk Museum Schiedam | Posthuman Docs
NEW WAVE: FUTURE VOICES IN ART (Artist Portraits)
DOCUMENTARY SERIES (7x3’)‘CONTEXT IN DESIGN, DESIGN IN CONTEXT: PRÓDOGERSI’ BY NIFEMI MARCUS-BELLO
‘VOID HOME’ BY ELEJANDRO MARTINEZ
‘THE 4C BODY’ BY MARGA WEIMANS
‘RETURN TO SENDER’ BY THE NEST COLLECTIVE
‘GRANDMOTHERS’ BY YURO MONIZ
‘WATER, REEDS, AND OTHER DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES’ BY AMENEH SOLATI
SYNOPSIS – Six pioneering artists share the sources, meanings, and ambitions behind their work. Through candid interviews, they reflect on their creative process, material choices, and the broader impact they hope to achieve.
Each portrait offers a direct encounter with the artist’s voice, revealing how their work is shaped by migration, heritage, and new perspectives. As they discuss inspiration, process, and impact, their words unfold against visuals of their artistic practice—hands in motion, textures forming, spaces transforming.
These portraits capture the essence of a movement that pushes beyond fixed boundaries, sources knowledge from lived experience, and reimagines the future through art.
Released 2024.
CLIENT – DAR Cultural Agency in collaboration with Stedelijk Museum Schiedam
DIRECTED – Kylian Weijers
FILMED & EDITED – Kylian Weijers
SOUND RECORDING: Fay Mohamed
SOUND DESIGN – Kylian Weijers
FEATURED ARTISTS
Nifemi Marcus-Bello & Frank Remak
Elejandro Martinez
Marga Weimans
Sunny Dolat (The Nest Collective)
Yuro Moniz
Ameneh Solati
TAPIS ROUGE FRANS FILMFESTIVAL (2024)
FESTIVAL RECAPSYNOPSIS – A film festival in motion—one that embraces new voices, bold storytelling, and evolving traditions. This year, the Tapis Rouge Frans Filmfestival expanded across multiple locations, welcoming 18 special guests and hosting immersive workshops. With a daring opening film and a strong focus on young creators, Tapis Rouge reaffirmed its commitment to multivocality—a celebration of diverse perspectives in cinema.
Through a mix of dynamic festival moments, audience reactions, and behind-the-scenes glimpses, the film showcases how Tapis Rouge continues to evolve. We hear from attendees and artists, highlighting the impact of the festival’s inclusive programming—from the representation of queer narratives to the presence of industry disruptors like Rosalie Varda.
The essence of Tapis Rouge lies in discovery: a fresh perspective, a poetic moment, an unexpected connection. With bold visuals and an energetic rhythm, this recap film not only reflects the festival’s spirit but plants a seed—reminding us of the enduring cultural significance of film, and why a French film festival, in particular, holds a unique place in European cinema.experience, and reimagines the future through art.
Released 2024.
CLIENT – Tapis Rouge Frans Filmfestival
DIRECTED, FILMED & EDITED – Kylian Weijers
BIRTH OF ACOYA
DOCUMENTARY SHORT / BRANDED DOCUMENTARYSYNOPSIS – Birth of Acoya is a poetic documentary short that explores the delicate, centuries-old relationship between humans and nature in the craft of Akoya pearl cultivation. Set in the waters of Nagasaki’s Omura Bay, the film follows the intricate process through which pearl farmers and the sea collaborate to create luminous pearls—an artistry that is both a tradition and a fragile ecosystem.
Through intimate visuals and thoughtful reflections, Birth of Acoya reveals how pearl cultivation is not merely a controlled process but an act of trust in the unpredictable rhythms of the ocean. From the careful preparation of piece oysters to the patient tending of pearl-bearing mollusks, each step is a testament to the deep connection between human craftsmanship and marine life.
As the pearls are finally harvested—one by one, from their womb—the film contemplates sustainability, imperfection, and the shifting balance between tradition and environmental change. The name Acoya, with its distinctive "C," embraces the uniqueness of each pearl, reminding us that true beauty is found in variation, resilience, and the ongoing dialogue between nature and human hands.
DIRECTOR – Willemiek Kluijfhout
PRODUCER – Chitose Ohchi
ART DIRECTOR – Chitose Ohchi
EDITORS – Kylian Weijers | Bram de Goeij | Willemiek Kluijfhout
D.O.P. – Remko Schnorr
SOUND RECORDING – Bram Boers
COMPOSER – Umitaro Abe
FILM MADE BY – C&: Chitose Ohchi
IN COLLABORATION WITH – Willemiek Kluijfhout
THANKS TO – Mr. Noritsugu Matsuda | Mr. Michio Matsuda | Matsuda Cultivated Pearl Farm