I am Stanzen Lèh Jelsma, a Dutch investigative journalist and documentary filmmaker. Recently I graduated from the School of Journalism in Utrecht. As a starting journalist and filmmaker, I am highly motivated to continue developing my work and to create new documentaries and investigative stories.
I am driven by curiosity, a strong sense of social responsibility, and the desire to tell meaningful stories about the world around us. I am always eager to learn, to collaborate with others, and to keep growing within the field of documentary filmmaking and investigative journalism.
Through documentary film and investigative reporting I explore stories at the intersection of politics, borders and inequality. I focus on underreported stories and the human consequences of global power structures.
My documentary From Compassion to Crime investigates the criminalisation of solidarity in Europe and the growing pressure on people who help refugees at Europe's borders.


An investigation into the criminalisation of humanitarian aid in Europe and the legal and political pressure faced by volunteers and journalists who help refugees.