The Voice of the Water will be screened first, followed by Mirror of Holland.
De Stem van het Water (The Voice of the Water)
An iconic documentary about how water permeates our lives — both literally and figuratively.
Dutch water has many faces: from the fierce force threatening our dikes to the calm waters in which children learn to swim. Like it or not, the Dutch and water are inextricably linked. In The Voice of the Water, Haanstra explores this unique relationship from every possible angle.
Over the course of 90 minutes, Haanstra presents a colorful parade of people, each living with water in their own way: fishermen, swimming children, barge captains — even Sinterklaas’s steamboat makes an appearance. The Voice of the Water is a loving ode to the Dutch waterways and the special bond between people and their environment.
The documentary features narration by none other than Simon Carmiggelt and takes its title from the famous poem Memory of Holland.
Spiegel van Holland (Mirror of Holland)
The Dutch landscape as seen from the water: upside down and transformed by the rippling and swaying of the surface. Classic Old Dutch scenes pass by — from churches and canal houses to windmills and farms.
In this short film, Haanstra combines his talent as a filmmaker with the eye of a painter. The result is a timeless, enchanting, and poetic portrait. Mirror of Holland won the award for Best Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival in 1951.