Blog: Carmen Cortvriendt
"I think that the way to follow your heart and do what you want in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen is to learn to think in terms of opportunities instead of limitations."
From Farm to City
Growing up on a farm in Biervliet, I loved the outdoors. Hours playing in the mud, summers spent at the beach, and beautiful walks in the Braakmanse forest. Despite the peace that Zeeuws-Vlaanderen offers, by the end of high school I wanted nothing more than to leave that 'boring place.' At 17, I moved into student housing in Tilburg, just like my big sister.
Where does my creative passion lie?
I always had a drive to be creative. Spending hours inventing stories for my Barbies, performing different acts at talent shows, and writing poems for birthdays. However, it took me some time to discover where my real passion lay. For a brief moment, I thought I wanted to be an actress, but fortunately the theater schools thought otherwise. Then I started studying Communication IEMES in Tilburg. After the first year, we could choose a direction, and I decided to focus on film and theater. This turned out to be a good choice.
During my minor in Fashion Film in Denmark, I discovered scriptwriting. I absolutely loved doing it, and I was good at it too. At the end of my studies, I decided to focus entirely on film. The film industry is in Amsterdam, so after 3.5 years of a fantastic student life in Tilburg, I decided to move to our capital.
Screenwriting
Through an internship, I rolled into film production. For 2.5 years, I hopped from film set to film set in increasingly responsible roles. I learned a lot about filmmaking and the film industry, but I noticed that my heart was truly in screenwriting. After several courses, the Scenariovakschool started as a brand-new 2.5-year program, and I decided to enroll.
The Scenariovakschool was a fantastic time where I learned an incredible amount, grew as a screenwriter and as a person, and made wonderful friendships. I graduated this past January, and in September my first short film will be released.
Back to the 'boring place'
Despite the fun and dynamic years in Amsterdam, I concluded 1.5 years ago that it isn't my home. I found love in Breskens, and after two years of a long-distance relationship, with a gap year in Breda where I finished my studies, I moved in with my boyfriend in mid-July. If you had told me two years ago that I would move, I wouldn't have believed you—I probably would have laughed at you. But from the very first week, I already felt much calmer. I'm enjoying the peace that Zeeuws-Vlaanderen offers once again. The sea, the close-knit community, and family nearby.
How am I going to build my career as a screenwriter from Breskens? Hard work. I'm not the only Zeeuw with a love for film, like the Zeeland filmmakers of Bruutsterdam in Clinge. You get much further by working together. Also, you do a lot of writing at home, and there are countless online opportunities for meetings and keeping in touch. I'll still have to go to Amsterdam regularly, but that's worth it to me. There are also opportunities in the Flemish film industry in Antwerp and Ghent.
I think that the way to follow your heart and do what you want in a remote corner like Zeeuws-Vlaanderen is to learn to think in terms of opportunities instead of limitations. You have to create and seize those opportunities.
Carmen's Tip
I love going to the beach and to a beach pavilion. Beachhouse is my favorite. And for a nice lunch or coffee, I like to go to the Fonteyn in Groede or LiefsLies in Breskens.
