Delta Phase 1

Zeeland, where water sometimes turns out to be stronger than the dikes. After the disasterous flood of 1953, people started to dam up the islands of this Dutch province, beginning with the Veerse Gat. It was a blessing to the safety of the inhabitants of Zeeland and their connection with the rest of Holland, but problematic for the people that depended on the sea, the fishermen of Veere. With magnificent style, Bert Haanstra reveals how the closure of the Veerse Gat was accomplished. With great interest from the press and the population, we follow the tugboats that tow floating caisson structures to their locations, captured both from the ground and from the air. The film provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Delta Works, showing tests with scale models. The interaction between skilled workers and the irrational water manifests itself in impressive images of Holland’s best-known engineering project. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)