Anna Blaman

Anna Blaman

Birth : 1905-01-31, Rotterdam

Death : 1960-07-13

History

Anna Blaman, pseudonym of Johanna Petronella Vrugt, (1905–1960) was a Dutch writer and poet. The literary award Anna Blaman Prijs is named after her. As a high-profile public figure who was openly homosexual, she helped open doors for Dutch lesbians. She began publishing poetry in the literary magazines Criterium and Helikon. In 1941, she published her first novel Vrouw en vriend (Woman and friend). This was followed by Eenzaam avontuur (Lonely adventure) in 1948. She published a novella De kruisvaarder (The Crusader) in 1950 and two books of short stories Ram Horna in 1951 and Overdag in 1957. The novel Op leven en dood (A Matter of Life and Death) was published in 1954. Her last novel De verliezers (The losers) remained uncompleted but was published posthumously in 1974.

Profile

Anna Blaman

Movies

To Play or to Die
To Play or to Die
Writer
In this short motion picture, schoolboy Kees is intelligent, introvert and sensitive, but gets ridiculed verbally and physically at an all-boys school by mindlessly cocky class mates and even insensitive teachers, especially in gym, where his physical weakness is mercilessly abused to make him a defenceless laughing stock in front of his smirking peers. His awakening sexual interest goes to boys, and in particular to Charel, a beautiful athletic classmate who probably feels an undetermined interest but would never risk admitting (possibly not even to himself) having any gay or bi appreciation, least of all for a 'sissy', and thus remains unresponsive to shy Kees' overtures. When the hunk finally comes over to Kees' place while his parents are away, a desperate disappointment with a tragical twist is in the making…