still Een fotograaf filmt Amsterdam (Ed van der Elsken, NL 1982)

Ed van der Elsken: Een fotograaf filmt Amsterdam & Het Waterlooplein verdwijnt

Sweet 16: Ed van der Elsken: Een fotograaf filmt Amsterdam & Het Waterlooplein verdwijnt

Famous Dutch photographer Ed van der Elsken was also an avid filmmaker. From 1960 onwards, he used a film camera, usually a 16 mm Bolex to record people’s lives in a challenging, yet warm and playful style.

This year 16 mm film celebrates its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Eye has organised the Sweet 16 programme about the importance of 16 mm film to, among others, documentary and experimental filmmakers. The following Van Ed van der Elsken titles will be screened:

Programme

Een fotograaf filmt Amsterdam (NL, 1982, 58')
During the summer of 1982, Van der Elsken wandered around above Amsterdam on foot, by bike and on board a plane to get footage of his birthplace and its inhabitants. He filmed the city centre in slow motion with a camera attached to a rollbar on his Mini Moke buggy, then edited the footage into the film at a higher speed: a fabulous parade of punks, elderly people, buskers, Hell's Angels and the unhoused who he gets the best from. Complete with vintage Van der Elsken voiceover.
Het Waterlooplein verdwijnt (NL, 1967, 12')
An impression of the last day of the old Waterlooplein open-air market which was to me moved due to the construction of the IJ river tunnel. Van der Elsken filmed the traders, consumers and the spectacular array of goods from Che Guevara posters to worn-out household goods, then provided his accepting commentary.

The 16 mm films held in Eye’s collection will be screened.