Sailing

The first morning light skims over the Dutch waters. Acquatic animals and plants prepare for a new day. The decks of sailing boats are cleared for action. Hundreds of small boats cut through the water and join battle with each other, and the elements. Sails billow in the wind, boats tilt across the water. Hattum Hoving made this ode to wind and water with support from the Ministry of Education. He and cameraman Pim Heytman spent months on and around the water. Zeilen is in the Dutch tradition of the ‘ciné-poème’, showing people merely as ‘objects’ and ‘metaphors’. This raised objections to the film, although the filmmaker’s skills were generally admired. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)