‘Sanctus’, 2007, 6’

“ The short 16mm-film « Sanctus » is enchantingly beautiful. A large black image appears in front of you, and the first voices of a choir drift from the speakers. Very slowly a choir appears from out of the ink black of the screen, accompanied by a handful of violinists. The image reminds us of the clair-obscur technique used in paintings by Rembrandt. Here, the filmmaker is painting with light. In a yellow haze you distinguish the conductor. Then, slowly, members of the choir are being lit up form the darkness, sometimes a single person, sometimes a group of singers. But it are only fragments you see ; you need the music to make the image complete. And because your mind automatically combines the music you hear with the image you see, you are led to think that the mouths of the choir members move to the sounds of the voices. In fact, the singers simply stare into the distance, motionless and entirely silent. This does not diminish the film’s the power of expression. Moreso, the drama of it all is being reinforced. The characters appear icily pale and lonely, and it is exactly by not singing they seem to become one with the music – excerpts from the prozaic and spiritual Berliner Messe by Arvo Pärt. [...] “

(Ingrid Commandeur, Metropolis M magazine)

Year
2007

Duration
6’

Support
s16mm, color

Genre
Fiction, experimental

Synopsis
A tableau vivant portraying a solemn and spiritual, but eerily silent choir.

Credits

Written and directed by	Viola Groenhart
Conductor	Felix van den Hombergh
Choir	De Amsterdamse Cantorij :	Edwin Oudemans
	Simone Aarendonk	Renate Meijer
	Rob Beck	Niek Noppen
	Judith van der Bend	Paul Peerenboom
	Adrienne van den Bogaard	Geraldine Raap
	Pauline de Die	Margriet Rienks
	Ank Eijkelkamp	Jan Sleumer
	Inge Hemme	Cartien Traas
	Marten Hoogenhout	Tineke Verheus
	Agnes van Koert	Wendelien Vos
	Adrien Kuijten	Bas van Wingerden
	Jan Harm Oosterveen
Strings	Cees van den Akker
	Jim James
	Nadezda Khomutova
	Martin van Manen
	Ulrika Wielander
	Marieke Wijntjes
Composition	Excerpts from Berliner Messe (1990-1992)
Composed by	Arvo Pårt
DOP/Camera operator	Ben Geraerts
Sound recordists	Arjan Loogman
	Wouter den Bakker
Runners	Jasper de Bruin
	Bastiaan Mobach
	Ad van Bilsen
	Ank Daamen
	Elise van Iterson
Editor	Viola Groenhart

Nominations & awards
Nomination René Coelho Prize, Netherlands Institute for Media Art
Nomination Film & Video Prize, Gerrit Rietveld Academy
Nomination Fine Arts Prize, Gerrit Rietveld Academie
Nomination Art Olive Young Talent Award