Tess Löwenhardt

Tess Löwenhardt (1983) was born in Amsterdam. She has traveled the world since she was young which enriched her and stimulated her creativity. In those days she created her own reality and she plays various characters in her own plays. Starting out as an actress in a promotion film for HD TV called 'Tess in Wonderland'. Things led to the leading role she had when she was 11 in her first short cinema film 'Darkling' of Pieter Kuijpers ('Van God Los', 'Off Screen',' TBS'). In working on the set and with Pieter, she discovered she felt more at home on the set than anywhere else. With her early acting experience and her awareness that film is the medium to tell stories, no one was surprised when she found out she was a director. In 2004 she enrolled into the HKU in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The second largest film academy of the Netherlands. She was admitted immediately. In her second year she made the film 'Tosja' about two teenage friends who were growing apart. This short film awed professionals in 2006 with it's beautiful close up filming, story and original subject. She graduated in 2008 as a European Media Master of Arts with honors. With her graduation film 'Bloesem' ('Blossom') about a young girl who is unable to speak, Tess shows she is able to create touching, original and multi-layered films about young women growing up. She clearly has something to tell and has created her own interesting way to do this. This has also come to the attention of 50+ international film festivals who have shown 'Bloesem'. The film has already won an 'Audience Award' at Red Rock (USA), 4th place at the Batumi International Art house Film Festival (GE) and a special jury prize: Outstanding Film at the Winton Train Contest (UK and PL), a Bronze Egg (3rd Place) at Film Front (NL) and a 'Best Film' and 'Audience Award' at the RVO Film Fest. (NL)! And was also officially selected for the Palm Springs Film Fest. and shown at the Cannes Short Film Corner! In 2010 she finished her second short film, 'De Grote Gemene Deler' ('The Big Common Denominator') which Fish Pix has produced, together with Tess. She wrote the script and was the films director. Her collaboration with well-known D.O.P. Remko Schnorr, who took her visual concept and incorporated it into the whole film, makes this movie a true visual and emotional masterpiece. Shot on 35mm with anamorphic lenses, it's a film that goes into the depth of family relations whilst being a cinematographic art film. This film has also been selected for the 2011 Cannes Short Film Corner! It has also won the 'Best Film' prize at the 4XF film Festival. In 2012 she finished her next short: 'Thuis Komen' ('Coming Home'). A film about an old man trying to find his way in his new home for the elderly. It went in premiere at Cannes, in the Short Film Corner, in a packed screening room and had very positive responses. On TV the film had 400.000 viewers, which is a lot in The Netherlands. Another short, 'Cupcakes!', was shot during the 48 hour film project in Amsterdam, in 2013. It won the audience award and prize for best actress. It is currently being sent to film festivals, together with another 48 hour film project, 'Warehouse', which won 'Best Script'. Five years after getting her film degree, she already shot her first feature film, currently in post production. 'Tegen Beter Weten In', is an independent drama film, shot in, and with, people from the Haarlemmermeer. It currently (2013) holds the European record for fastest feature film making, with 14 days of shooting. The premiere will take place on the 30th of October, in 4 cinema rooms, and will be screening until the beginning of 2014. Right now, Tess is working on several new films, amongst them another feature length film. Her latest project, Nachtvlinder (Moth), is also in post production.