Documentaries

Battles

Isabelle Tollenaere
B, NL 2015
88 min
V'15

Isabelle Tollenaere’s enigmatic film essay BATTLES reveals the traces left behind by recent conflicts in the landscapes and communities at four different sites across Europe. A bomb, a bunker, a tank, a soldier – four archetypes of warfare lead us chapter by chapter to places in Europe where conflicts have occurred in the recent past. We discover the transformation of people, objects and landscapes after demilitarization. The film’s meticulous cinematography and astonishing sound design work together to build a haunting atmosphere which is often genuinely unsett ling yet at times very humorous. Impressively composed and expertly crafted, BATTLES is a compelling exploration of the ways in which the effects of war continue to echo long after the battle has ended. “In BATTLES, I want to expose this link between the ordinary and the extraordinary. This is manifested in the use of plan sequences, which, while observing everyday scenes patiently, also play up the alienation and humor by using the static wide frames and lengthy periods of time.” (Isabelle Tollenaere)

In the presence of Isabelle Tollenaere.

Credits
  • Isabelle Tollenaere
  • Frédéric Noirhomme
  • Kwinten Van Laethem
  • Michel Schöpping
  • Nico Leunen
Michigan Films, Witfilm

Michigan Films

DCP
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