Mark Verkerk

Mark Verkerk has more than 30 years of experience in directing, cinematography, editing, and screenwriting. His passion for documentary filmmaking has remained strong throughout the years.

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, he studied at the London International Film School and joined the Australian broadcaster ABC in Sydney in 1980 as a film editor. Two years later, he began working as a freelance film editor and director for EMS FILMS. Since 1990, he has served as the creative director of EMS FILMS. In recent years, he has written and directed a series of award-winning documentaries for international broadcasters such as National Geographic, Discovery, ARTE, and ZDF. His first feature film, Buddha’s Lost Children (2006), was nominated as the Dutch entry for the prestigious Academy Awards in 2007.

As the director of De Nieuwe Wildernis (The New Wilderness) and mentor of a completely inexperienced crew, he once again proved himself to be a master storyteller, a quality he continued to demonstrate in Holland: Nature in the Delta, The Wild City, and subsequent projects.