About me
— Bastiaan de Haas is a Berlin-based multidisciplinary creative who works across film, photography, and graphic design. As a graduate of Audiovisual Design at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, his studies in the Minor New Earth allowed him to explore the intersection of sustainability and humanity's coexistence with their ecosystems.
Bastiaan's artistic vision draws from his ongoing curiosity about human behaviour, nature, and history—uncovering their intricate connections. His work is driven by a thoughtful, research-based approach, developing narratives that blend his broad interests and skills into meaningful stories.
His directorial debut, In Our Nature, is an exploration of the fragile relationship between humanity and its natural surroundings. Through a hybrid of documentary and dance, the film explores the absurdities and struggles of our quest for harmony. It has been showcased at various film festivals, winning the Best Short Movie award at Cinema e Ambiente Avezzano 2022 in Italy.
His upcoming documentary, Un Bel Nulla, is a portrait of a small Italian village in the Abruzzo region, exploring the generational imbalance that foreshadows its eventual abandonment. The film, entirely in Italian, tells the emotional stories of the villagers. Offering a glimpse of the beauty found in their close-knit community, knowing that it won’t exist much longer.
Bastiaan’s filmmaking style tends toward simplicity, utilizing wide angles and natural light to capture the quiet beauty of life. Embracing analogue styles and drawing inspiration from historical contexts, notably the distinct visual characteristics of different eras, he adds a distinctive touch to his work. With experience in on-set production and post-production, he navigates projects through all stages of development, from concept to final delivery.
Rather than imposing a specific message, Bastiaan’s work invites audiences to find their own meanings. His films are a reflection of his enthusiasm and fascination for his surroundings, often blending a hint of absurdism and comedy, encouraging viewers to deepen their understanding of the world around them and to find joy in everyday life and culture.
For Bastiaan, the artistic journey is a process of exploration—of discovering and rediscovering the beauty in life. He approaches each project with a sense of curiosity and openness, always looking to learn and grow from every experience, reminding us that life is often, in its simplest form, beautiful and amazing – a canvas waiting to be explored and rediscovered.
