The Ephemerist

Original Title: De zakbibliothecaris van de Veldstraat

Documentary | 34' | 2005 (Completed)

All images & Videos

(5 images)

Director:	Didier Volckaert
Producer:	An Van Dienderen
Writer:	Didier Volckaert

Full credits

"Do not dispose of any document", Vander Haeghen proclaimed when he set up a most peculiar archive in the nineteenth century. This archive consisted of various items, such as a bird's wing, bags to contain medicines, artful leaflets, and prestigious visiting cards. With the spirit of the crazy but innovative librarian in mind, the filmmakers dive into this collection to evoke Ghent's main shopping street, "de Veldstraat".

synopsis

"Do not dispose of any document", Vander Haeghen proclaimed when he set up a most peculiar archive in the nineteenth century. This archive consisted of various items, such as a bird's wing, bags to contain medicines, artful leaflets, and prestigious visiting cards. With the spirit of the crazy but innovative librarian in mind, the filmmakers dive into this collection to evoke Ghent's main shopping street, "de Veldstraat". By flirting with fact and fiction and by using old school animation techniques, as well as 'State of the Art' digital image processing, Didier Volckaert and An van. Dienderen have created an ambitious and challenging animated documentary. Bloch Bakery, former workers of the INNO/Grand Bazaar shopping mall, several shopkeepers, and the current librarian of the Ghent University all present their story about the seemingly unnoticeable, but drastic changes of daily life in the Veldstraat, which took place over the years.
« Ne jetez aucun document », proclama Vander Haeghen lorsqu’il entrepris l’archive la plus étrange du 19^ème siècle. Cette archive était composée de plusieurs objets, tels que des ailes d’oiseau, sac pour contenir des médicaments, des brochures astucieuses et de prestigieuses cartes de visite. Avec l’esprit d’un documentaliste fou mais innovant, le réalisateur plonge dans cette collection pour évoquer la principale rue commerçante de Gand, « de Veldstraat ». En mêlant les faits et la fiction et en utilisant des techniques d’animation dépassées comme le plus haut matériel d’image digitale, Didier Volckaert et An van. Dienderen ont créé un documentaire ambitieux. Bloch Bakery, d’anciens travailleurs des galeries commerciales INNO et Grand Bazaar, plusieurs commerçants et l’actuel bibliothécaire de l’Université de Gand présentent leur vision des changements drastiques et en même temps discrets de la vie quotidienne qui ont eu lieu au fil des ans dans la Veldstraat.

Credits

Director
Didier Volckaert
Producer
An Van Dienderen
Writer
Didier Volckaert
Editing
Didier Volckaert
Photography
Didier Volckaert
Music
Didier Volckaert

Format

Creation details

Type
Film
Category
Doc
Production share
Majority Flemish Production
Belgium
Genre
Documentary
Year of production

2005
Production status
Completed
Original title
De zakbibliothecaris van de Veldstraat
Original language
Dutch/ French / English

Technical specs

Running time
34'

Contact & sales

Contact

Flanders Image

Bischoffsheimlaan 38
1000 Brussel
Belgium

T +32 2 226 06 30
flandersimage@vaf.be

www.flandersimage.com

Festivals & awards

Festivals

2011: OCMW woonzorgcentra ism STAM, OCMW Gent, Universiteit Gent (BE)
2009: AVS broadcast (BE)
2005: University of West-Kentucky (US), UC Berkeley (US)
2004: Veldstraat project Gent Cultuurcel (BE), Filmmuseum Brussel (BE)

Awards

2006: Nomination - Prize for Best Belgian Documentary of 2005 and 2006 Flemish/Walloon Community (BE)2006: Honorable Mention - Prijs Cultureel erfgoed Provincie Oost-Vlaanderen (BE)