Days Under

Colour, 35 mm
Netherlands, 2003, 25 min
Section: Documentary Competition

Synopsis

A day in the life of German miners as seen in a 20-minute pictorial symphony. Shot in a world devoid of colour, the musical accompaniment was supplied by the horrifying cacophony of jackhammers and creaking mining trucks. Due to difficult shooting conditions the film’s young Dutch director was obliged to use an old Bolex 16 mm camera and a Nagra reel-to-reel recorder. Her choice intensified the film’s impact through the disturbingly grainy image and the rawness of sound.

About the director

Jiska Rickels (b. 1977) performed in musical theatre productions, then graduated from the Netherlands Film and Television Academy. Untertage is her graduation film. Last year she also worked as assistant director on The Story of the Weeping Camel (dir. by Byambasuren Davaa and Luigi Falorni), screening this year in the Another View section.