Boven de bergen

In a Dutch road movie, there are no V8 propelled cars or desolate gas stations. Here, six friends walk from the northern hamlet of Pieterburen to the Pietersberg in southern Limburg, home to some hills that the Dutch call mountains. The route they take is the so-called Pieterpad trail, now a popular bucket list item for Dutch hikers, but unspoiled at the time (early 1990s) and very suitable for Digna Sinke’s purpose: en route, all the characters (except for one youngster) face midlife crises; most explicitly, a childhood trauma is recounted in colour in an otherwise black-and-white film. In their conversations and bickering, the dreams and disillusionments of the post-war generation resound. Expertly portrayed by some of the best actors of their time, including Johan Leysen, these characters are smart enough to recognise the difference between navel gazing and soul searching, but can’t rise above themselves. Or can they? The nuanced and modest dramatics have aged well, giving the film a visionary quality. Shot in Robby Müller-inspired lyrical grey tones, the (Eastern) Dutch landscape rarely looked better. Presented in Vienna on a vintage 35mm print, BOVEN DE BERGEN is scheduled to be restored by Eye Filmmuseum next year. (Gerwin Tamsma)

In the presence of Digna Sinke and Gerwin Tamsma (Curator).

Digna Sinke (selection): GROETEN UIT ZONNEMAIRE (1972), DE STILLE OCEAAN (1984), BELLE VAN ZUYLEN (1993), Tiengemeten Project (2001–2006), WEEMOED EN WILDERNIS (2010), AFTER THE TONE (2014), UNDER THE SURFACE (2016), BEWAREN / KEEPING & SAVING (2018), ZOET & ZOUT (2019), GRENZEN (2020), HEMELSLEUTEL (2024)