Marieke Niestadt worked as an international model and television host untill she decided she wanted to be at the other side of the camera. Marieke is a self directing camera person. Her open and inviting character allows her to capture people as they are, up close and personal. Maybe her greatest asset is her ability to capture the real story on camera; when it happens, where it happens.
Directors statement about Bittersweet
I met Lucia Rijker and Diana Prazak in Los Angeles just before they left to Australia to fight for the WIBA world champion title in 2012 and felt a strong urge to follow them with my camera. I did not. When Diana won the title I regretted it deeply. Then Lucia Rijker, 6 time world champion (kick)boxing and undefeated herself told me that she was preparing Diana for her toughest fight of her life. I grabbed my camera and followed her every step of the way. Diana , an Australian female boxer, was to face the undefeated golden girl WBC World Champion and number one of the world Frida Wallberg of Sweden. I started filming 6 weeks prior to the fight and that's where my documentary begins.
My film takes you forth and back again, that is how the mind works. You imagine the fight, you fight that fight long before you are actually there. Winning or losing is in the not to distant future but you win and lose many times before you are there.
Being part of the effort, being there all the time, going with them through all the emotions of happiness, fear, anger, devotion made me part of the team. I was not filming the quest, I was part of the quest. I felt the same emotions, the same fear of losing, the same determination. When the fight took a dramatic turn I could not stop crying but I had to keep on filming. I was in total shock and could not believe what was happening.
Making this documentary and being part of this story is something that will stay with me for a very long time. Like the film it self... It just gets under your skin.
