Thus Dragonfly (2011)

Directed by: Juul Bovenberg | 75 minutes | documentary

Magazines come and magazines go. Few titles last as long as Libelle, the women’s weekly that first appeared in 1934 (!) and is still one of the best-read magazines in the Netherlands. Every week, no fewer than 2.7 million people read the Libelle. And certainly not all of them are women. In the documentary ‘Aldus Libelle’ (2011), Juul Bovenberg investigates the secret behind the success of the largest, oldest and most influential women’s weekly. Who are the women who determine the content of the magazine, what place does the magazine occupy in the life of the reader? Editor-in-chief Franska Stuy defines the Libelle as a friend with whom you share your joys and sorrows. Not a girlfriend who nags you, but someone who cheers you up and supports you. Or, as editor and columnist Femke Sterken says: “Life is a bit of a mess sometimes and when you’ve read ‘Libelle’, you think, well, everything will be fine.”

Bovenberg, who, in his own words, would have liked a ‘Libelle’ mother but had to make do with an ‘Away’ mother, follows the editors in the run-up to the two most important editions: the double-thick summer issue and the Christmas issue. She worked on the editorial board for a year, focusing on four main protagonists: in addition to Stuy and Sterken, they are deputy director Maureen Belderink and editorial manager Human Interest Barbara van Erp. For each topic that comes up in brainstorming sessions, it must be assessed how the ‘Libelle’ reader thinks about it. Some editors adopt that particular style more easily than others, which can sometimes lead to friction. Because what is ‘Libelle’ and what is not, how far can you go and how do you make certain topics open to discussion for the ‘Libelle’ reader? Because hard news does not belong in the ‘Libelle’. It should remain cozy and close to the reader, without being frumpy (because that’s what the unrelenting Franska Stuy watches out for).

Juul Bovenberg filmed more than eighty hours on the editorial board of ‘Libelle’. The scenes she processed in her film give a global picture of the work behind the scenes of a magazine. Unfortunately, the pressure that the editors must feel and the dynamism of a weekly deadline has not been reflected: it seems that the ladies have plenty of time and only two editions to publish: a summer and a Christmas edition. This is certainly not the case, but the film does focus on that. We do get a good idea of ​​how crucial – and how difficult – it is to remain faithful to a magazine formula and that it is necessary to constantly consider whether a subject fits the reader’s taste. There is no doubt that the women enjoy their work. The editorial team consists of enthusiastic and creative people who inspire each other and try to create something beautiful together every week. ‘Aldus Libelle’ is an interesting film that illuminates the work behind the scenes of a magazine in a fresh way, although the documentary unfortunately remains just a bit too much on the surface.