Programme 3

The relationship between actors and the space is a constant theme in the work by Frans van de Staak. “Where are we trapped, really? In a space? Everyone within themselves? Or perhaps in language itself, that might be it.”

The shortest film by Frans van de Staak, Sonate alternates shots of a man reciting words in English and Dutch with details of the port where this is taking place. The soundtrack combines words, noises and a music recording with constantly changing tone and volume to abrupt and shrill effect.

His longest film, Het vertraagde vertrek, the script for which was written by the experimental writer Jacq Firmin Vogelaar, started out as an investigation into the way in which spaces condition people but quickly changed direction to explore other paths. The filmmaker and writer decided to write each scene after watching the material filmed for the previous, which meant moving forward without a complete idea of the whole. This led to new topics and characters, as well as a difficulty in arranging the material that produced nine different edits.