The film takes as its structure a relationship of addresses and events, narrated in a monotone tone by the actress Melanie Hyams, but contrasting the story of the past with the images of the present in the streets of Amsterdam, provoking a questioning look that questions the need not to forget. Most of the images were recorded during the coronavirus pandemic, which gives it a unique perspective. One of the announcements from local authorities heard on the radio establishes a curfew, remembering that the last time an exceptional measure like that was ordered was during World War II. The decision not to artificially provoke emotions establishes a cadence and structure that may feel monotonous at first, but that absorbs the viewer as it develops, capturing everyday images shot over three years in 35mm. with a 4:3 format that refers to the British documentary films of the sixties. It is remembered that 75% of the Jewish population of Amsterdam did not survive the occupation, losing about 60,000 Jews of the 80,000 who lived there, cold numerical data that nevertheless reminds us of the magnitude of the horror. By choosing a cinematographic format and an immovable narrative structure, there is a clear invitation to get caught up in the images and the voice-over, within their uniform tone, which reveal two different Amsterdams: one that remembers and another that seems to forget.
Review by Miguel A. ReinaBlockedParent2024-04-12T06:37:38Z
The film takes as its structure a relationship of addresses and events, narrated in a monotone tone by the actress Melanie Hyams, but contrasting the story of the past with the images of the present in the streets of Amsterdam, provoking a questioning look that questions the need not to forget. Most of the images were recorded during the coronavirus pandemic, which gives it a unique perspective. One of the announcements from local authorities heard on the radio establishes a curfew, remembering that the last time an exceptional measure like that was ordered was during World War II. The decision not to artificially provoke emotions establishes a cadence and structure that may feel monotonous at first, but that absorbs the viewer as it develops, capturing everyday images shot over three years in 35mm. with a 4:3 format that refers to the British documentary films of the sixties. It is remembered that 75% of the Jewish population of Amsterdam did not survive the occupation, losing about 60,000 Jews of the 80,000 who lived there, cold numerical data that nevertheless reminds us of the magnitude of the horror. By choosing a cinematographic format and an immovable narrative structure, there is a clear invitation to get caught up in the images and the voice-over, within their uniform tone, which reveal two different Amsterdams: one that remembers and another that seems to forget.