Biografia
Sherman De Jesus was born on December 11, 1947, in Willemstad, Curaçao, one of the Dutch Caribbean islands. Since 1970, he has lived in the Netherlands, where he studied law at Utrecht University. Beginning in the 1970s, he produced numerous documentaries and educational programs as a producer-director for the Film Department of Radio Nederland World Service, where he also received his formal film education. In 1981, he became one of the founding members of the Dutch Filmdays in Utrecht and served as the festival’s first director. During this period, he also launched the first Dutch Film Market. In 1985, he served on the jury for The Grand Prix of The Dutch Film (The Golden Calf). He attended the Film Business School in Madrid under the supervision of Jonathan Olsberg. Additionally, he participated in a master class by István Szabó and took the Acting for Directors course by Judith Weston at the Maurits Binger Film Institute. He was part of the steering group for the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam and has been a board member of the Dutch Fund for the Promotion of Cultural Broadcasting since 2000.
Since 1988, Sherman De Jesus has been creating documentaries for Dutch television, alongside writing scripts and producing feature films. In 1992, he partnered with producer Cécile van Eijk to establish Memphis Film & Television, which continues to operate. The company focuses on developing and producing high-quality feature films, international documentaries, television programs, corporate videos, and educational films for theatrical and television release with worldwide distribution. Memphis Film & Television boasts an impressive portfolio of directing and producing films, including international festival successes and award-winning titles such as Daddy's Little Girl, Joy Meal, All is Light, Boy Ecury, Honey (the Dutch submission for the Academy Award for Best Short Film in 2005), and Souls of Naples.
In 2005, Memphis Film & Television completed three productions: Souls of Naples, a cinematic exploration of the city of Naples (a co-production with Ikon); Jan Schoonhoven - Official 18977, an intimate portrait of one of the Netherlands’ most important artists (a co-production with VPRO); and Abortion - Right or Wrong, a collection of stories about abortion in 2005. Current productions with highly qualified and exciting writers and directors include Tulip Time, the story of the hugely popular all-girl band Trio Lescano during Italian fascism, directed by Marco de Stefanis and Tonino Boniotti; Illiteracy, directed by Chris Westendorp; and Izaline Calister, directed by Miluska Rosalina. Sherman De Jesus is also developing a feature film based on the novel Weekend Pilgrimage by Caribbean novelist and poet Tip Marugg, funded by the European Script Fund. Additional projects in development include Piet Zwart, Boeroes, and several other documentaries and feature films.
