Archive of films Grey Matter / Grijsgedraaid

Netherlands
2006, 25 min

Section: Focus on the Netherlands
Year: 2008

This documentary takes a look at the reality of everyday life in an old people’s home in Amsterdam. The tragicomedy shows how absurd life can be, even in a place where nothing appears to be going on at all, yet these senior citizens still have gruelling predicaments to cope with – like when they have to leave enough time to get in and out of a lift.

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.

Contacts

EYE Film Institute Netherlands
IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT, Amsterdam
Netherlands
Tel: +31 207582375
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.see-nl.com

About the film

Color, DIGIBETA

Section:	Focus on the Netherlands

Director:	Ina van Beek
Screenplay:	Ina van Beek
Dir. of Photography:	Steffie Phlippen
Editor:	Axel Skovdal Roelofs
Producer:	Juri Keuter, Bo Polak
Production:	Nederlandse Film en Televisie Academie
Contact:	EYE Film Institute Netherlands

Guests

Claudia Landsberger

Distributor, Film Institution Rep.