Joris Ivens 1898 – 1989

Biography

Joris Ivens was born on November 18, 1898, in Nijmegen, Netherlands, where he began a life devoted to filmmaking that would span much of the twentieth century. Over his remarkable career, he became recognized as a pioneering Dutch filmmaker whose work left an indelible mark on cinema. His commitment to his craft carried him through decades of creative work, establishing him as an important figure in film history.

On June 28, 1989, Ivens passed away in Paris at the age of ninety, succumbing to cardiovascular disease. His death marked the end of an extraordinary life that had taken him across continents and through transformative periods in both cinema and world history. He was laid to rest at Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris’s 14th arrondissement, a final resting place befitting an artist whose later life was deeply rooted in the French capital.