He studied political science and literature at the University of Leiden, and was a member of the editorial staff of the film magazine Skrien.
As a visual artist de Putter was commissioned to make the installation’Earth’ against the back wall inside the new Dutch parliament in 2021.
He won the prestigious Joris Ivens Prize at the IDFA for Solo, de wet van de favela and 7 internationals festivals with his portrait of a Chechen children's dance troupe: Dans, Grozny dans (2002).
Twenty years later (2014), the two look back on life and film, de Putter's sequel documentary in Solo; Out of a Dream.
This work led to the invitation to create the back wall inside the new Dutch parliament, in 2021.