Episode of the Sea

Festivales:

2014 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) / 2014 Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival - CPH:DOX / 2014 Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) / 2014 Mar del Plata International Film Festival, Buenos Aires / 2014 HRFF Human Rights Festival Zagreb, Croatia / 2014 RIDM, section: Territories, Montreal / 2014 Docks Fortnight / 2015 Museum of Modern Art New York

The end of an island is questioned when it is joined to land. Is everything finished in this act? What starts then? How is the isolation saved? This is what happens in this land in the Netherlands, known as Urk Island, or the former island of Urk for others, that is joined to the sea and, has been artificially connected to land for some decades. Plans to open new arable lands joined the former island through drainage to the continental part in light of opposition from some of its inhabitants, particularly fishermen who fought the government plans to become farmers and abandon the sea. What remains then? Is climbing onto a boat the only guarantee of it continuing to be a real island? How can the local language be preserved once joined to the land?  These directors lived with the inhabitants between 2011 and 2013 and filmed their thoughts and ideas in a relevant staging of phrases. The cinematography uses the last batch of exquisite black and white film, something which is also in extinction.    
 

LONNIE VAN BRUMMELEN, SIEBREN DE HAAN