Batik, Beats & Bumbu | Film Screening and Q&A with Claire Pijman

A new generation of creators delves into a shared cultural history between the Netherlands and Indonesia, bringing it to life through fashion, music, food, and film—a fusion of memory and present. On June 11th, director Claire Pijman will be present for a Q&A session following the screening of the film. Indonesia was a Dutch colony for over 350 years. After World War II, approximately 350,000 Indo-Dutch returned to their 'home country', silently trying to establish new lives. The first generation sought integration, and they are the last to have firsthand knowledge of Dutch-Indies. The second generation relies on the 'tempo doeloe' of their parents, serving as a bridge between the first and subsequent generations, and between the Netherlands and Indonesia. The third generation is curious about their cultural heritage and ancestral land, exploring what has been passed down and its relevance today. In this film, director Claire Pijman follows a new wave of creators who express their shared cultural history in unique ways. From fashion studio Guave, where Myrthe Groot and Romee Mulder translate batik into contemporary fashion, to Sekan, a DJ/photographer and founder of label Jiwa2, who revives 70s/80s Indonesian pop music. Culinary artist Vanja van der Leeden looks beyond the traditional 'rijsttafel', while the popular band Nusantara Beat bridges languages, styles, and generations through their music. In collaboration with artists from Indonesia, a narrative unfolds about identity, exchange, and reinterpreting inherited legacies.