With the personal documentary ‘TURN!’ (KRO-NCRV, 2019), Esther Pardijs touches a sensitive chord in society. The film mercilessly exposes how parents, trainers and coaches do not know how to deal with talented children. The film was the impetus for months of discussions in the media, parliamentary questions and in-depth research into abuses in the gymnastics world and later also in other sports. The film received a nomination for a Gouden Kalf and a Journalistic Tile and was the most viewed documentary of that year.
Esther previously worked for about 10 years as a director for VPRO, HUMAN, NTR and BNN-VARA. She made stories in the field of science & ethics and human interest. Before that, she made films commissioned by various museums and NGOs at home and abroad. She studied psychology and photography and obtained her master’s degree in cultural anthropology. Esther currently teaches film classes at HKU in Utrecht, where she also gives seminars on Diversity & Inclusion. She advises the municipality of Utrecht on granting subsidies to art and culture projects. In the meantime, she is developing a new documentary series.
Esther was a guest speaker for the Vrijplaats op Maat (2024).