“What’s up Next?” is a series of articles and interviews meant to better showcase the trajectories of our Next Talents.
We are meeting the 2025-2026 generation in two key moments: at the start of their trajectory – focussing on finding out more about the artists and what they expect from the program, and at the end of their course, discussing the things they picked up on the way.
With this first interview we are introducing you to documentary filmmaker Ira Hoefsmid.
Ira Hoefsmid is a filmmaker driven by curiosity, emotion, and a deep love for storytelling. In 2019, Ira graduated from St. Joost School of Art and Design with a focus on documentary filmmaking.
We asked Ira to tell us a bit about herself. “There’s a closeness in the way I make films that I find essential. I want to be with the people I film—sometimes that means sleeping in a tent for weeks or sharing daily routines. I believe this immersive approach helps me capture inner worlds and unspoken truths. I strive for a form of storytelling that is intimate, raw, and emotionally honest. My camera is not just a tool—it’s a way of understanding the world and the people in it.”
Talking about artists inspiring her, Ira says: “I’ve always been deeply moved by the photography of Nan Goldin. Her work is raw, intimate, and unapologetically personal. In The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, she captures the beauty and pain of human relationships with a diaristic honesty that I find incredibly powerful. Her ability to turn vulnerability into visual poetry is something I aspire to in my own work.
I’m also a self-proclaimed documentary nerd and a huge admirer of Werner Herzog. His fearless curiosity and philosophical approach to storytelling resonate with me.” Unsurprisingly, if Ira could pick a dream mentor for the Next trajectory, it would be “Without hesitation: Werner Herzog. His body of work spans fiction and documentary, and he approaches both with the same poetic intensity and philosophical depth. I admire how he embraces the unknown, how he finds beauty in chaos, and how he challenges conventional storytelling. A mentoring session with Herzog would be a dream—just to hear him speak about “ecstatic truth” and the art of perseverance would be a dream come true.”
“I also have a lot of respect for the Dutch documentary scene” Ira adds, “filmmakers like Maasja Ooms, Shamira Raphaëla, Olivier S. Garcia, and Menna Laura Meijer are doing incredible work that continues to inspire me.”
We asked Ira how she came to be involved in the Next program. “I have a combined practice as both a filmmaker and a film educator/educational developer. This year, I decided to focus more intentionally on my artistic development. I had been following the work of previous Next Talent participants for the past two years, and I felt that this year was the right time for me to apply. After attending a Filmhelpdesk session at Kunstloc, I knew for sure that I wanted to be part of this trajectory—and I’m so glad I got a chance to take this leap”.
Since her trajectory already started, Ira shared with us some first impressions. “My time as a Next Talent participant has been hectic, but incredibly rewarding. When I joined the program in March, I was in the midst of pre-production for a short documentary, Koning van de Zee (King of the Sea), which I had the opportunity to film this past June. The coaching sessions and support from fellow Nexters have been invaluable—especially when things didn’t go as planned. It’s comforting and inspiring to be surrounded by people who are also navigating the creative process and understand the emotional ups and downs that come with it. The group meetings have been a real source of motivation, and I’ve had the privilege of receiving coaching in sound recording, which has deepened my technical and artistic toolkit.
Koning van de Zee is a project that means a great deal to me. It follows two brothers on an unlikely cycling journey. Between them, they have just two functioning legs, one living with a long-term disability and the other adjusting to a new one. Their differences are many, and things don’t unfold as they expect. I had the privilege of joining them on this journey, together with my cinematographer Milot Hajdini. Filming while cycling was both a logistical challenge and an exhilarating experience.
This project reflects my artistic vision in its rawness and intimacy. I strive to tell stories that are grounded in real human connection, and Koning van de Zee allowed me to do just that.
Through the Next Talent program, I hope to deepen my artistic practice, connect with more peers in the field, and find my place within the industry. I also aim to complete Koning van de Zee and bring it to audiences in a way that does justice to the story. Most of all, I want to continue growing as a filmmaker—both creatively and professionally.
With Koning van de Zee we’re currently entering post-production—if you’d like to follow the journey, feel free to check out my Instagram!”
We’ll do just that and really look forward to seeing the project completed!