This Easter weekend our video poetry project Bewogen Verzen (Moved Verses) kicked off in De Brakke Grond in Amsterdam. During an inspirational session, young video makers from Flanders and the Netherlands presented each other on how they will depict their favourite Dutch poem. Their video poems will be shown this autumn in Flanders and the Netherlands.

Ons Erfdeel vzw and Poëziecentrum vzw want to get young people from the Low Countries interested in contemporary Dutch poetry with the video poetry project Bewogen Verzen. Young poetry lovers have selected their favourite poems, and five Dutch and five Flemish video makers will now get to work creatively.

During the first of three inspiration sessions, led by motion designer Klaas Verpoest, they showed in Amsterdam how they would approach this. While one videographer will bring the verses to life with 3D visualizations and live action, another will do so with film images or animations.

From the many proposals submitted, the video makers chose the following poems that they would like to visualise. They will each receive a budget of €1,000 to design their video poems in three languages.

Bob van den berg: Global Underground by Annemarie Estor (From: Niemandslandnacht, Wereldbibliotheek, 2018)

Evelyn Entwistle: Witlof (Chicory) by Ruth Lasters (From: Lichtmeters, Polis, 2015)

Ester Bosschaert: Vasthoudendheid (Perseverance) by Lieke Marsman (From: Wat ik mijzelf graag voorhoud, Van Oorschot, 2010)

Justine Cappelle: Ik hou van Icarus (I like Icarus) by Tjitske Jansen (From: Het moest maar eens gaan sneeuwen, Podium, 2003)

Kobe Fleerackers: Bij de gemeentekist van mevrouw P. (On Mrs P.’s Municipal Coffin) by Menno Wigman (From: Dit is mijn dag, Prometheus, 2004)

Reinier Kroese: Kwijt (Lost) by Bart Moeyaert (From: Verzamel de liefde, Querido, 2003)

Tess Steijvers: Een meisje (A Girl) by Toon Tellegen (From: Kruis en munt, Querido, 2000)

Tharim Cornelisse: De methode iv. (The Method iv.) by Arno Van Vlierberghe (From: Vloekschrift, Het Balanseer, 2017)

Suzanna van Oers: Life on Mars by Peter Verhelst (From: Nieuwe sterrenbeelden, Prometheus, 2008)

Younes Laaguidi: Houston We Have a Problem by Lotte Dodion (From: Kanonnenvlees, Atlas/Contact, 2016)

The Bewogen Verzen project is possible thanks to the support of the Dutch Foundation for Literature.