Willem Malten was born in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1955. He moved to California in 1981 and later, in 1984, settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Malten attended the University of Amsterdam and was awarded a masters degree in Sociology and Anthropology Cum Laude in 1980.

Zen Monk, California
From 1981-1984 he lived, worked and meditated as a Zen Monk at the Zen Center and at the Tassajara Zen Monastery in California. The book Shoes Outside the Door by Michael Downing (Counterpoint Press, 2001) describes that period at the Zen Center and Malten’s role in it.

Baker, Santa Fe
In 1984 Willem Malten started the Cloud Cliff –bakery, café, artspace -in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Cloud Cliff has grown into a thriving business with about 40 employees. It specializes in organic produce.

Organic promoter
As long term board member of the Santa Fe Farmers Market and manager of Cloud Cliff, Willem Malten was instrumental in setting up the Northern New Mexico Organic Wheat Project, a rural revitalization program for small family farmers aimed at preserving genetic diversity and fertile farmlands. It started in 1994 and is still very active.

In 1998 Malten was commissioned by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to make a movie about the Wheat Project called ‘The Staff of Life’. It won immediate statewide acclaim, and stimulated similar projects in Northern California, Oregon and also Vermont.

Moviemaker
In 1999 Willem Malten filmed and directed a movie on the Nuclear Weapons Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, entitled ‘Cry at the End of the 20th Century’. The acclaimed movie featured Martin Sheen, Helen Caldicott, Corbun Harney, Amy Goodman (Democracy Now) and many others. In early 2000 this movie won the Saphire Award for best documentary at the LA film festival. It has been seen at other festivals and on Free Speech TV.

“In a fusion of word, image and music, this film gives poetic utterance to an unspeakable event—civilized violence” Godfrey Reggio said of the Cry movie.

Willem Malten lives with his daughter Bontje in Santa Fe New Mexico.

In 2000 and 2001 Malten filmed and directed the Shipibo Anisheati --a coming of age ceremony for girls not performed in 40 years or so. The Shipibo are a Shaman-based Indian tribe in the heart of the Amazonian Jungle.

He is currently is finishing up the Anisheati movie, including footage of the Ayahuasca Complex.

A DVD directed by Willem Malten came out on the album ‘A Universe to Come’ (Tulku Records).

He is also working on a Butoh (Japanese Dance) movie and, with the Gyumed Monks, on another documentary on the esoteric practices of Tibetan Buddhism.

Links
We Googled Willem, and found these:

ABC Radio interview with Willem (transcript)

The Anishiati project

The American Farmer interview with Lonnie Roybal, New Mexico wheat farmer

Willem's article for UK Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament