About


Sam Koopman (1992) is a filmmaker and visual artist based in Rotterdam. He was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Canada, where he was trained as a cinematographer. Using primarily video and (expanded) cinema he explores his encounters with people and place: the role of his lens, the tragedy and comedy within it. His work straddles and plays with the border of documentary and fiction and focuses on collective meaning making. 


CV


Screenings, Selections & Exhibitions
2024︎Wild Summer of Art - Brutus (NL)
2024︎CURRENTLY, CURRENTLY, CURRENTLY - V2 (NL
2024︎Munich New Wave Short Film Festival (DE)
2024︎Tokyo International Short Film Festival (JP)

2023︎Roma International Short Film Festival (IT)
2023︎New York Tristate Film Festival (USA)
2023︎Flying Ideas - WORM (NL)
2023︎Cinema op Zuid - Cinema Islemunda (NL)
2023︎Serbest International Film Festival (MD)
2023︎RITUS - V.O.C. Plein Delfshaven (NL)

2023︎Research Labs - EYE Filmmuseum (NL)
2023︎Rotterdams Open Doek - LantarenVenster (NL)
2021︎Equanimity - WORM (NL)
2019︎Indie Visions Film Festival (US)
2019︎Stockholm Independent Film Festival (SE)
2018︎Avant Garden (CA)
2016︎Au Café de Paris (FR)

Residencies, etc.
2024︎Jury member, Rotterdams Open Doek
2024︎RTM Guest Curator, International Film Festival Rotterdam
2023︎Green Screen Collective Cinema, WORM (residency)
2023︎Room for Sound, Willem de Kooning Academy (residency) 

2023︎The Piet, Piet Zwart Institute (publication) 
Ongoing︎Expat Cinema Rotterdam (curator & host)
2021︎Participatory Arts and Pop Culture, Erasmus University Rotterdam (honours programme) 

Awards
2023︎Most Urgent Work, EYE Filmmuseum Researchlabs (NL)
2023︎Jury Award, Rotterdams Open Doek (NL)
2023︎Audience Award, Rotterdams Open Doek (NL)
2012︎Impact Award, Vancouver Film School (CA)


Education
2023︎Piet Zwart Institute - MFA, Lens-Based Media
2022︎Erasmus University Rotterdam - BA, International Arts & Culture Studies
2012︎Vancouver Film School - Diploma, Film Production (spec. cinematography)
2011︎Vancouver Film School - Diploma, Visual Art & Design

In Collaboration
2023︎asst. editor - The Radiant Screen, Ine Lamers
2023︎asst. director - (Re)membering the riots in Afrikaanderwijk in 1972 or guest, host, ghos-ti, Cihad Caner
2021︎director of photography & editor, Equanimity, Kems Kriol
2021︎asst. editor & colourist, Project Pavlova Video Trilogy, The Office People

2016︎director of photography, Les Vilains, Any Given Film