"In 1950 Haanstra made Mirror of Holland, combining his talent as a filmmaker with his eye as a painter. Holding the camera upside down, he filmed images of Holland reflected in water. The effect is strange and delightful. It astonished critics and the public alike. Mirror of Holland was Haanstra's first success abroad. It was shown at the Cannes film festival, and won a Golden Palm: the country boy from Holland travelled to Cannes to take a bow and receive the award. He returned the following year as a member of the jury chaired by Jean Cocteau. He became friends with Jacques Tati, who he considered the best in his field. During that time he made a drawing of Cocteau and Tati together.
"The film was a huge success in the Netherlands as well. The film provided first class entertainment, but was admired above all for the lyrical play of light, shadow and colour. Haanstra had established himself as a filmmaker and his reputation drew many people to his films. He particularly appealed to the Dutch, who loved seeing their country through his eyes: his films gave new meaning and colour to their daily life. The feature films he made years later inspired a similar affinity, and millions enjoyed Haanstra's vision and outlook, his gentle humour and his affectionate view of his country and its citizens.
"In 1952, Haanstra made Panta Rhei , another view of Holland through the eyes of a painter and filmmaker. Its poetic images of water, skies and clouds reflect Haanstra's own moods. People are conspicuously absent from Haanstra's earliest films. The famous Russian director Vsevolod Pudovkin remarked on this at the festival in Cannes, saying: "In my own mind Mirror of Holland has people". To which Haanstra replied: "I am still a beginner. I have mastered the camera, I can handle nature, but l've not yet learned to handle people and their problems. That's still too complicated. But I'll get there…” - http://www.berthaanstra.nl/
No comments:
Post a Comment