Hester Jonkhout

Hester Jonkhout is a celebrated filmmaker and cinematographer from Curaçao, known for telling compelling stories rooted in Caribbean culture and identity. With a career spanning documentary and narrative work, she has been active in film since the late 1990s and has built a reputation for visual sensitivity and cultural depth.

Jonkhout graduated from the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam and spent significant time working in Suriname before returning to Curaçao. Her early work includes the short film 'From Dirt', which premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).

She has earned international recognition for her cinematography and directorial work. In 2021 she won Best Cinematography at the 'Caribbean Tales International Film Festival' in Toronto for her work on 'La Dama Blanca'.

Her feature documentary 'Nomade in Niemandsland', an intimate portrait of Curaçao-born artist Felix de Rooy, won Best Feature Documentary at the 2025 CaribbeanTales festival, marking a significant milestone in her career and amplifying Caribbean stories on the global stage.

Jonkhout continues to work on new film projects and serves as an influential voice in Caribbean cinema, capturing authentic narratives that resonate both locally and internationally.