HOLLAND REVISITED

ALTERNATIVE FILM/VIDEO 2016Festival novog filma i videa /

Festival of New Film and Video

Beograd / Belgrade, 7 – 11. decembar 2016.

8. 12.  Četvrtak | Thursday

19.00 Mala sala | Small Theatre 

Retrospektiva / Retrospective

HOLLAND REVISITED

Holandski eksperimentalni film 1960 - 1990

Predstavlja / Presented by

Simona Monizza, EYE Filminstitut Nederland

Tulips, Wim van der Linden/Wim T. Schippers, 1966, 3 min, 16 mm

Birds, Frans Zwartjes, 1968, 5 min, 35 mm

Daydreams, Elsa Stansfield/Madelon Hooykaas, 1972, 8 min, 16 mm

Touring Holland by Bicycle, Paul de Nooijer/Jerry Musser, 1981, 3 min, 16 mm

Song for Four Hands, Barbara Meter, 1970, 4 min, 16 mm

Rubbish, Matthijn Seip, 1972, 13 min, 16 mm

Re-Action in A, Noud Heerkens, 1979, 5 min, 16 mm

Case of the Spiral Staircase, Karin Wiertz/Jacques Verbeek, 1981, 3 min, 35 mm

Oblique, Maarten Visser, 1980, 3 min, 35 mm

Space Modulation, Bart Vegter, 1994, 1 min, 16 mm

#3, Joost Rekveld, 1994, 4 min, 16 mm

Ruby is the One, Earth and Fire, 1970, 3 min, 35 mm

Ovaj program, koji je uredila i koji će predstaviti Simona Monizza iz EYE Film muzeja, eklektičan je izbor filmova proizvedenih tokom četiri decenije, od 1960-ih do 1990-ih, od strane raznih umetnika iz Holandije. Iako su upadljivo različiti, filmovi nude jedinstvenu priliku da se baci pogled na relativno nepoznatu alternativnu filmsku kulturu zemlje koja je prošla kroz ogromne transformacije u ključnom tranzicionom periodu, od posleratnih godina do radikalnih promena tokom 1960-ih. Humorom, meditativnošću ili provokacijom – kao i pristupom filmskom mediju – svi oni odražavaju političku, društvenu i umetničku klimu svoje zemlje.

Razlike između filmova takođe svedoče o specifičnosti holandske eksperimentalne scene, koja nije bila organizovana, nasuprot, na primer, engleskoj ili austrijskoj, u grupe, škole i žanrove. Prisustvo Amsterdam Film Co-op (Amsterdamske filmske zadruge) i procvat alternativnih prostora za film, muziku i praksu mixed-media, pomogli su da se, kasnih 1960-ih i ranih 1970-ih, stvori plodno tlo za filmadžije. Projekcije Electric Cinema i događaji koje su organizovali, između ostalih, Barbara Meter i Mathijn Seip, gradili su mostove između holandske scene i umetnika iz drugih zemalja i ohrabrivali razmenu filmova i ideja. Intenzivna saradnja sa London Film Co-op i njenim članovima može se pratiti u pojedinim filmovima, nastalim pod vidnim uticajem britanskog strukturalizma, od kojih će dva biti prikazana u okviru ovog programa. Ali generalno gledano, ovi autorski putevi nisu doveli do formiranja zajedničkog pristupa stvaranju filmova, već je holandska scena ostala fragmentirana, u čemu se možda može pronaći razlog što nije imala onakav uticaj na internacionalnu scenu kakav su imale druge scene. Ipak, nasleđe idiosinkratične umetničke i filmske prakse, na koju ne utiču trendovi i mode, oblikovalo je umetničku scenu Holandije, i vidljivo je do dan-danas.

Unutar ovog okvira, Frans Zwartjes, „otac“ holandskog eksperimentalnog filma, predstavlja zaseban slučaj. Bez ikakvih prethodnika ili uticaja, Zwartjes je uspeo da stvori fantastičan opus koji se sastoji od filmova u kojima kombinacija ekstremno sirovog crno-belog filma sa seksualnošću dovodi do dramatičnih efekata na gledaoce. Kao predavač i mentor na Slobodnoj akademiji Psihopolis u Hagu, Zwartjes je imao veliki uticaj na generacije filmadžija koje su studirale kod njega, ali većina je krenula drugačijim putem, tako da se teško može govoriti o Zwartjesovoj školi. Umetnički duo Karin Wiertz/Jacques Verbeek i filmadžija Paul de Nooijer dobri su primeri za to: njihovi animirani filmovi govore sasvim drugačijim vizuelnim jezikom i svaki se izdvaja originalnom kreativnom snagom. Wiertz/Verbeek pravili su apstraktne filmove, ali je tu formu Bart Vegter odveo na idući nivo veštine i posvećenosti, i tako započeo delo koje će nastaviti i razviti Joost Rekveld, najmlađi i međunarodno najaktivniji filmadžija iz ovog programa.

Iako je avangarda 1920-ih poznatiji period umetničkih inovacija u Holandiji, pre svega zbog pionirske uloge Filmlige i njenog međunarodno priznatog predstavnika Jorisa Ivensa, eksperimentalna scena koja se pojavila posle rata i cvetala od 1960-ih nadalje nije tako dobro dokumentovana i istražena i zato je manje poznata i manje vidljiva. Tokom dugog niza godina, nakon što se politička i kulturna klima izmenila, ovi filmovi su prestali da budu u centru pažnje javnosti i nisu bili dostupni, pa je postojao rizik da postanu sasvim izgubljeni. Zahvaljujući združenim naporima Filmbank (distributer koji se sada spojio sa EYE-om), i našim muzejom, pokrenut je veliki projekat da se najzad udome brojni eksperimentalni filmovi iz ovog perioda, tako da postanu dostupni putem prezervacije, istraživačkog rada i organizovanja programa.

Ovaj program vam pruža šansu da te filmove, koji se retko prikazuju izvan Holandije, pogledate u njihovim restauriranim verzijama na 16mm i 35mm kopijama.

Uživajte u putovanju.

Simona Monizza

This program, curated and presented by Simona Monizza from the EYE Film Museum, shows an eclectic selection of artist’s films from the Netherlands covering four decades, from the 60’s onto the 90’s. Even in their striking difference, all the films offer a unique glimpse into a relatively unknown alternative film culture of a country that went through a tremendous transformation in the crucial transition period from the post-war years up to the radical changes of the 60’s. In their funny, meditative or provocative way- and their use of the film medium- they all reflect the political, social and artistic climate of the country.

The difference between each film also testifies to a specific characteristic of the Dutch experimental scene, which, others than the one associated with England or Austria for instance, did not organize itself in groups, schools or genres. The presence of the Amsterdam Film Co-op and the flourishing of alternative venues for film, music and mixed media of the late 60’s and early 70’s helped of course create a fertile ground for the practicing filmmakers. The Electric Cinema screenings and events organized among others by Barbara Meter and Matthijn Seip, bridged the gaps between the Dutch scene and the fellow artists from other countries, promoting the exchange of films and ideas. During this time the intense exchange with the London Film co-op and its practitioners can be traced back in some of the films, two of which are shown in this program, visibly influenced by the British structuralism. But on a general note, all these artistic developments did not lead to the forming of a common approach to filmmaking, which retained instead its fragmentary nature, maybe the reason behind the marginal role that the Dutch scene played when compared to other international filmmaking scenes. Nonetheless, the heritage of this idiosyncratic practice of art and filmmaking outside of trends or fashions has shaped the artistic scene of The Netherlands, which is still visible today.

Within this framework filmmaker Frans Zwartjes, the ‘father’ of the experimental film in The Netherlands, forms a case apart. Without any previous specific influence, Zwartjes, managed to build up an amazing oeuvre consisting of films where the use of extreme harsh black and white film look combined with sexuality achieve a dramatic effect on the spectator. As a teacher and a mentor at the Free Academy Psychopolis in The Haghe, Zwartjes exercised a great influence upon the generation of filmmakers studying under him, but most of them took a very different path, making it hard to speak of a Zwartjes school. The artistic duo Karin Wiertz/Jacques Verbeek and filmmaker Paul de Nooijer are a good example of this. Their animation films speak a very different visual language and distinguish themselves for their original creative force. With Bart Vegter the abstract film, already practiced by Wiertz/Verbeek enters another level of craftsmanship and dedication initiating a sparkle that will be picked up and further developed by Joost Rekveld, the youngest and internationally most active filmmaker of the program.

While the avant-garde of the 20’s is the better known period of artistic innovations in The Netherlands due to the pivotal role of the Filmliga and its internationally renowned representative Joris Ivens, the experimental scene emerging after the war and flourishing from the 60’s on has not been documented or researched as well and is therefore less known or visible. For many years, after the political and cultural climate changed, the films fell out of interest and were not available anymore, risking of disappearing altogether. Thanks to joined efforts between the Filmbank (a distribution organization, now merged with EYE), and our museum, a large-scale project was initiated to give finally a secure home to a lot of these experimental films, making them available again through preservation, research and programming.

This program offers a chance to see films, which are rarely shown outside of The Netherland, and which can be appreciated in their restored form on 16mm and 35mm copies.

Enjoy the journey.

Simona Monizza