Grey Matter

Colour, DIGIBETA
Netherlands, 2006, 25 min
Section: Focus on the Netherlands

Synopsis

This graduation documentary by young director Ina Van Beek takes a look at the reality of everyday life in an old people’s home in Amsterdam. With a sensitive eye, the filmmaker notes how fatiguing it is for senior citizens moving at an agonisingly slow pace to get in and out of lifts in time, play bingo, make coffee or watch television. This tragicomic film shows how absurd life can be, even in places where nothing appears to be going on at all.

About the director

Ina van Beek (b. 1978, Warnsveld) studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy, during which time she directed three short documentaries: The Coffeehouse (Het Koffiehuis, 2004), If You Know Where I Am, Search for Me (Als je weet waar ik ben, zoek me dan, 2005) and Grey Matter (Grijsgedraaid, 2006). The last work, the director’s graduation film, won the Audience Prize at the International Documentary Film Festival in Madrid.