Harry Kümel

Biography

Harry Kümel is a Belgian director of features films, documentaries and television programmes. In 1968 he made his first feature film, Monsieur Hawarden, about a wealthy Austrian woman who disguises herself as a man to avoid a trial. His lesbian vampire film Les lèvres rouges (1971), developed into a cult film. Kümel managed to rope his idol Orson Welles into playing the lead role in his film Malpertuis (1971-1973). In 1991 he filmed Couperus' classic novel Eline Vere. The film was unsuccessful, the critics were predominantly negative and the attendance was disappointing. Kümel complained afterwards about the poor production conditions. That was his last feature film to date. In Kümel's work, surrealism and bizarre romance played a major role. For many years he taught at the Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, where his students included Martin Koolhoven and Mike van Diem.