Katja Sokolova

It's not hard to be nice

20 years Stifo party@De Duif 18 April

Tonight Kompromat is going to rock out at the 20th anniversary of the Dutch Cultural Broadcasting fund. All producers of cultural vibes- filmmakers, rock stars, artists and wannabes are going to be there. As well as those we all need in order to keep breathing, those who decide on our lives and deaths. We've heard that even the Minister of Culture is coming...

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Get the party started! - It's still daylight but the guest already start gathering outside De Duif- KS

We haven't had the chance to meet the Dutch Minister tonight....

But actually, that was not our main goal. This secret mission is all about taking a photo with Zita Swoon.

When secret agent Sokolova was the same age as the Dutch Broadcasting fund, she was a rock-n-roll chick. And she still secretly likes to be on photos with bands. Of course, only with the cool ones.

But the good old days are over and gone: no screaming fans, no groupies, no drinks backstage.
The band starts packing immediately and leaves in the direction of our southern neighbors.

So, no pictures to send home.

All what's left to do is try to collect some last minute gossip about the band members...

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Secret agent Sokolova is going on a mission. - With the 2 beautiful female companions, its success is guaranteed.- KS Andrei Tchernikov

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Artist Selbi Gildemacher is surrounded by beautiful women. - Guess which one of them is Selbi's girlfriend? Tip: she is a new media artist from a Northern European country. Not from Holland!-KS Guess which one of them is Selbi's girlfriend? Andrei Tchernikov

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Filmmaker Aliona van der Horst has won Jan Kassies prize today. - Not for one particular film, but for "her great merit in national cinema", as they would say in Russia. Aliona is half Russian. Cultural Embassy's Vincent de Boer is very proud of his wife. Kompromat is proud of her too.- KS Andrei Tchernikov

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Dutch Cultural Broadcasting fund director Hans Maarten van den Brink. - With his 3 kids. Obviously.-KS With 3 beautiful kids. His kids, obviously. Andrei Tchernikov

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Floor van Spaendonck has recently become director of Virtual Platform. - We asked her to look very official for this photo. But, in fact, she is still the same open person with a big smile. Floor rocks.-KS Andrei Tchernikov

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Secret agent Sokolova shaking hands with Steven van Teeseling from fonds BKVB. - Maybe it will bring her more luck with the bemiddelaarssubsidie next time? Anyway, Steven is extremely nice and cute too. Not a bureaucrat type at all. He combines his job at the foundation with own curatorial projects.-KS Maybe it will bring her more luck with the "bemiddelaarssubsidie" next time? Anyway, Steven is extremely nice and cute too.

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The only not-so-nice thing about this party is the door policy. - No smoking inside, no drinks outside. As most people at the party appreciate the combination, there is a lot of arguing with the security at the door.- KS

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Vrij Nederland's chief editor Emile Fallaux has got enough of it. He is leaving... - Emile used to be a secret agent too: he worked for VPRO in the USSR. Time to put my sunglasses on... I believe Emile is off duty now, but Andrei and I still have to be careful when we talk Russian to each other. - KS Andrei Tchernikov

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Other people, however, are staying and having fun till late. - Such as Stimulieringsfonds' Nicolette Langestraat. No party is better than the one organized by yourself.

Met:
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Artist Zhana Ivanova is laughing at the art world. - Zhana's dad is a Deputy Minister of Culture in Bulgaria. Or is she just laughing us out? Zhana is not afraid of Kompromat. Her dad is Bulgaria's Deputy Minister of Culture. Andrei Tchernikov

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Here they are... Zita Swoon! - Andrei Tchernikov

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The drummer Aarich Jespers definitely has something to share with us... - - Our lighting technician likes to strip when he is drunk. Can you imagine... He takes all his clothes off! - Wow!! - Our lighting technician likes to strip when he is drunk. Can you imagine... He takes all his clothes off! - Wow!! (Suddenly I realized, I've become too old to appreciate this kind of stories. But thank you anyway, Aarich, for this really solid piece of Kompromat.)

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Artists Jeanette Groenendaal en Zoot Derks. - They would definitely approve of Zita Swoon's lightman's stripping acts.- KS Andrei Tchernikov

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The secret agent has closed her eyes. - Away from celebrities, away from gossip... She's dreaming of a warm country far away. Even secret agents need their real life from time to time. Andrei Tchernikov