Cornelis (Cees) Bruinsma (1925–1988) was a familiar face to many people in Leeuwarden. He worked as a bridge keeper for many years, mainly at the Vrouwenpoortsbrug.
Cees had a great passion for filmmaking. He was active as an amateur filmmaker from 1958 to 1985. During those more than 25 years, he recorded around sixty hours of film footage. His work focused mainly on Leeuwarden and his daily life as a bridge keeper. He also filmed his colleagues at the Municipality of Leeuwarden, from refuse collection workers to the mayor and the municipal council.
Cees passed away at the age of 62, one year after retiring.
His films are preserved in the collection of the Frisian Film & Audio Archive (FFAA) and can be viewed on the FFAA website.
Seen through Bruinsma’s eyes, the collection offers a unique glimpse of Leeuwarden in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. As such, the work of the filming bridge keeper forms a valuable part of the cultural heritage of both Leeuwarden and Fryslân.
The exhibition features a compilation of Cornelis Bruinsma’s film footage of Leeuwarden, curated by the FFAA.
This exhibition is a collaboration between the FFAA and HCL.
