ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

Thank You for Calling is written & directed by Vera Lelie and Kwint Jongerius.
Vera and Kwint know each other because they used to play in an amateur band together (Kwint on electric guitar/bass/drums and Vera on trumpet). One evening, they were having dinner with the band, and Kwint showed a few film projects he had been working on. Vera was impressed and a while later decided decided to ask Kwint to work on a film together. Kwint and Vera, both autistic, created this story to reflect some of their experiences with autism but also to showcase different forms of human connection.

Kwint started the preparatory program at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and then began studying Film, Photography and the Digital at the St. Joost Academy in Breda, but did not complete the program. He is currently studying at Codam in Amsterdam, a school focused on programming. Kwint has been involved with
film from a young age. He made short films early on, often playing the lead role himself. Those early works had
an absurd character—an element that remains visible in his later work, but develops there into something magical, realistic, and dreamlike. Besides writing and directing, Kwint did the music, cinematography, editing for the film.

Vera graduated from the Fashion Design department at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in 2023. She has worked as a costume and set design (scenographer) assistant for modern dance, theater, and opera productions.
As the next step in her career, she is interested in diving into the world of costume and set design for the film industry. To build her portfolio and gain experience, she decided to make a short film herself with Kwint. Vera has previously worked with Mediamatic, a venue where events related to neurodiversity are regularly held. Her graduation project, titled The Waiting Room—a visualization of the absurdity and irony of waiting times in healthcare during and prior to a diagnosis—was exhibited at Mediamatic during Museum Night. Besides writing and directing, Vera did the art direction and costume design for the film