Bio

Dutch director and screenwriter Tjeerd Dam (1998) was born and raised on a farm in Flevoland. Growing up in this vast and isolated landscape nurtured a vivid imagination that continues to shape his work.

He graduated from the Netherlands Film Academy in 2024 with The Anatomy of a Mermaid, nominated for the Shalky Scenarioprijs for Best Student Screenplay, and A Taste of Friendship. That same year, he premiered his directorial debut, Turbine, at the Netherlands Film Festival. In 2025, he wrote and directed Ketchup, which premiered in the Debut Competition at the Netherlands Film Festival before screening at Palm Springs International ShortFest, Raindance Film Festival, and other international festivals.

Tjeerd holds degrees in Political Science and Sociology. His films push reality toward the absurd, blending surrealism with a dark sense of humor to explore human behavior, the oppressive systems that shape us, and our search for connection.