Sander Francken started his career in 1977 as producer of Unit Libra Motion Pictures Holland BV, based in The Hague. For this firm he wrote and directed FRAGMENT VIDEO & JULIET, a short fiction film which enabled him to get one of his earliest dream projects financed and completed: VIDEO & JULIET. This movie was co produced by Connections Films and AVRO Television and awarded the Prix Futura'81 Berlin and a first Prize at the International Film Festival for Science Fiction Films Triëste. It was sold to a number of European broadcasters (such as RTBF, Swedish and Danish Television, RAI, SFB and others) and distributed in the United States art-house film circuit. Since then Francken directed and/or co-produced a large number of films in a wide range of genres and styles: three feature films (THE ANSWER, WAY UPSTREAM, PAPA'S SONG), t.v. movies, commercials, documentaries and corporate films for a great number of national as well as multi national companies.



Fifteen of his films were awarded with more than 30 national and international TV and film prizes, amongst them 3 Golden Calves (which counts as the most respected film award in the Netherlands). To the general public, Francken is probably most well-know by his work titled PLEIDOOI, a drama series for Dutch television for which Francken directed the pilot episode as well as a number of subsequent episodes. PLEIDOOI was considered as the new standard for television drama in the Netherlands for a decade and was internationally presented as CALLED TO THE BAR.



In 1986 Sander Francken founded Sander Francken Film. The goal of this company is to develop and produce thought provoking projects with a high dramatic potential and outstanding visual approach.