On the 3rd of November, we are pleased to welcome our next writer’s room guest, Deidré Jantjies, at Oude Leeskamer as the Jakes Gerwel Foundation alumnus nominated for this special residency.

Jantjies is a cultural activist with a passion for historical stories about women. She is the founder of Na Aap Productions and the author of the illustrated book Stories in die wind, published by Tafelberg in 2022. The book is written in Afrikaans and Nama and is accompanied by an animated web series.

Jantjies excels in various cultural areas. She was a producer on the local film Carissa, which was selected for numerous film festivals, including the 2024 Venice Film Festival. She is also the director of the upcoming documentary Uitgesmyt, which tells the story of the forced relocations of residents of Oudtshoorn and Dysselsdorp.

During her two-week stay at Oude Leeskamer, Jantjies will work on her next manuscript under the guidance of her mentor, Suzette Myburgh of the Jakes Gerwel Foundation.