Monique van de Ven

Biography

During the first year at theatre school in Maastricht, Monique van de Ven made her film debut in Turks fruit in 1973. She also starred in Paul Verhoeven's next film, Keetje Tippel. From 1976 to 1987 she lived in Los Angeles with her husband, Jan de Bont, who did camerawork at that time but who later would become a director. During her stay in the US she acted in Stunt Rock and was in one episode of the well-known programme Starsky and Hutch.

She was awarded a Golden Calf in 1984 for her entire oeuvre as well as for her role in De schorpioen. Three years later during the shooting of Een maand later she met actor and screenplay writer Edwin de Vries, who would become her second husband. Monique van de Ven received another Golden Calf in 1990 for her role in Romeo. After that she also acted in a number of other films, including Eline Vere, Lang leve de koningin and Amazones, as well as television series such as Iris (1992), Zeeuws meisje (1998) and Spangen (1999-2006).

She made her debut as a director with the short film Mama's proefkonijn in 1996. In 2007 she directed her first feature-length film, Zomerhitte, after the eponymous book by Jan Wolkers.