Born in 1936 in Hague, the Netherlands. For 30 years from 1964 onwards, worked as director, producer, editor of documentary film for NOS-TV and NPS-TV.
In 1995 went independent, and continues his activities as a documentary filmmaker.

Most of his works concern issues such as immigrants and race problems.

They include: District 69, depicting the life in the immigrants ghetto in Hague; The Ten Token, a five-part film on Turkish and Greek immigrants in the Netherlands; and The Illegals, a documentary on illegal Turkish and Moroccan workers in the Greenhouse industry, for which Monnikendam spent 6 months living amongst the workers.

In 1995 completed Mother Dao the Turtlelike which took 6 years in production, and was acclaimed at documentary film festivals all over the world.