Sisyphus at Work

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The museum for film and the art of the moving image in the Netherlands. Visit the exhibition or cinema and discover our collection with more than 50.000 films.

Eye Filmmuseum

7 February Eye is closed

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still from Erbarme dich - Matthäus Passion Stories (Ramón Gieling, NL 2015)

still Erbarme dich - Matthäus Passion Stories (Ramón Gieling, NL 2015)

Ramón Gieling © Bob Bronshoff

Eye Filmmuseum seen across the river IJ © Marcus Koppen

Eye Filmmuseum, © Marcus Koppen

still from Sisyphus at Work (Ramon Gieling, NL 2020)

still Sisyphus at Work (Ramon Gieling, NL 2020)

poster Sisyphus at Work (Ramon Gieling, NL 2020)

still from Tramontana (Ramón Gieling, NL 2009)

still Tramontana (Ramón Gieling, NL 2009)

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Ramón Gieling explores the very essence of Bach's St Matthew's Passion and the sublime aria Erbarme dich, to many the emotional climax of this  absolute masterpiece.

The labyrinthine narrative is set in a desolate church with a small choir, an orchestra and a group of homeless people as an audience. There, individuals including Peter Sellars, Emio Greco, Simon Halsey and the painter Rinke Nijburg explain their special relationship with Bach’s music, surrounded by the Bach Koor en Orkest [Bach choir and orchestra] of Pieter Jan Leusink, who have been performing the Matthäus Passion [St. Matthew Passion] for years.

Erbarme dich - Matthäus Passion Stories

Love proves as intangible as the wind, in Ramón Gieling’s film about a scandalous relationship in the northern Spanish village of Cadaqués. The villagers are left to speculate what happened when the relationship ends in disaster.

The wind blows almost constantly along Northern Spain’s rocky coast. There, at the time of Franco’s dictatorship, the older villagers discuss the scandalous relationship between Pepet Tremolls and the much younger Rosa Campos Del Amor, during a game of cards. Tremolls was found dead on Christmas Eve. Suicide, people said. Or was it one of Rosa’s jealous lovers?

Tramontana

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After many years away, Boy Talma returns to the city of his birth, Den Bosch, to shoot his latest film: an all-singing, all-dancing  variation on the Sisyphus theme of senselessness. Shortly before starting, he hears that he only has nine months to live.

Boy decides to keep his death sentence to himself, but the scenes he comes up with for his film start to correspond to his own life. He dishes out roles in his imagined film to acquaintances, friends and lovers, while making a last, rebellious journey as part of a special friendship with thirteen-year-old Virginia. Without him knowing it, all of these characters will accompany him to the very end of the road.

<p>A selection of Gieling’s work could be viewed at Eye Filmmuseum in December 2020. His book ‘Wegens werkzaamheden geopend’ ['Open due to roadworks'] was also published that month. Because Eye had to close due to Covid-19 containment measures in 2020, we will be organising another day to properly conclude the programme on 11 December 2021.</p>

Sisyphus at Work

Ramón Gieling / NL, 2020 / 127 min.

After many years away, Boy Talma returns to the city of his birth, Den Bosch, to shoot his latest film: an all-singing, all-dancing variation on the Sisyphus theme of senselessness. Shortly before starting, he hears that he only has nine months to live.

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Ramón Gieling at Work