Abel

With his first directorial effort in 1986, Alex van Warmerdam aims his poisonous arrows at the Dutch bourgeoisie in an authentically anarchist black comedy that takes no prisoners.

The filmmaker conjures up a slapstick satire within the four walls of a house, taking advantage of his protagonists’ brilliant performances and scathing one-liners to make one of the most significant, yet sadly underrated debuts in contemporary European cinema.

Abel is an eccentric 31-year-old who still lives with his parents and has panic attacks just thinking about the outside world. His family’s efforts to socialize him fail miserably and in the end his father is forced to kick him out of the house. Despite everything, the spoilt Abel finds love in the face of a young woman only to discover that she also happens to be his father’s mistress! K.Th.

Εναλλακτικοί τίτλοι / Alternative titles: Abel / Voyeur

Σκηνοθεσία / Director: Alex van Warmerdam

Σενάριο / Screenwriter: Otakar Votocek, Alex van Warmerdam, Frans Weisz

Φωτογραφία / DoP: Marc Felperlaan

Μουσική / Music: Vincent van Warmerdam

Μοντάζ / Editor: Hans van Dongen

Ηθοποιοί / Principal Cast: Alex van Warmerdam, Henri Garcin, Olga Zuiderhoek, Annet Malherbe

Ολλανδία / Netherlands
1986
Εγχρωμο / Color
100’
Ολλανδικά / Dutch

* Screens on 22nd September and 26th September

Publication date: 2013-09-11 12:30:00

Five sardonic shades of black

Borgman

Without turning his back on the dark, humorous nature of his earlier work, Alex van Warmerdam takes a nosedive into an ocean of dramatic coincidence in a metaphysical thriller inspired by the archetypal battle between Good and Evil.

The Last Days of Emma Blank

Alex van Warmerdam obeys his usual tragicomic urges in an absurdist play staged within the four walls of a dysfunctional family's home.

Waiter

Edgar is furious. The customers at the restaurant where he works treat him like dirt, his unbearable neighbors shatter any semblance of peace and quiet, his wife is bed-ridden and his mistress is way too possessive. Fed up, he knocks on Herman's door, the screenwriter who defines the developments of his everyday life, and asks for some leniency.

Grimm

Drawing inspiration from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale "Brother and Sister" and obviously influenced by spaghetti Westerns and urban legends, Alex van Warmerdam borrows the classic "Once upon a time?" intro to build his own bizarre fairy tale.

Little Tony

In his fourth feature, Alex van Warmerdam adapts his own stage play, delivering a delightful exercise on the saucy details of a love triangle on a farm in the Dutch countryside.