Matthijs van Heijningen

Biography

Producer Matthijs van Heijningen made his debut in 1975 with the film Zwaarmoedige verhalen voor bij de centrale verwarming, which was made by four different directors. Later he was best known for his film adaptations of books, including Een vlucht regenwulpen by Maarten 't Hart, Van de koele meren des doods by Frederik van Eeden, Eline Vere by Louis Couperus, Op hoop van zegen by Herman Heijermans and Kees de jongen by Theo Thijssen. He alternated between large-scale, commercially interesting films and smaller, more artistic projects.

Over the years he grew to enjoy playing the role of the prototypical film producer, typically expressed by his ever-present cigar; he even he parodied himself in 1998 in a cameo in Eddy Terstall's film De boekverfilming. In 1994 Van Heijningen won a Golden Calf for 1000 Rosen and in 1999 he won the Culture Prize at the Netherlands Film Festival. The producer has always had an eye for talented directors. Besides Marleen Gorris (De stilte rond Christine M.), Dick Maas (De lift), Frouke Fokkema (Kracht) and Theu Boermans (1000 Rosen), the directors Orlow Seunke, Paul de Lussanet, Ate de Jong and Otto Jongerius all debuted with a film produced by Van Heijningen. The producer's last box-office hit was Een maand later (1987); his later films have been less successful.