The Thing can be seen during IFFR

On Friday, January 25, IFFR puts the city of Rotterdam in the spotlight during RTM. All rooms at LantarenVenster are filled with short and long films, Rotterdam classics, video clips, installations and talks, all focused on Rotterdam's film talent and free of charge. 'The thing' van Mels van Zutphen is listed in RTM Short, the short film program that is shown three times: 19.00 hour, 21.00 hour and 23.00 hour.

In The thing gives Mels van Zutphen a look behind the scenes of the restoration of 'the Gabo". The film combines awesome shots of the sculpture with audio clips from Gabo's flaming Russian manifests. In the meantime, the unsuspecting Rotterdam shopping public walks past the artwork every day, without realizing its historical value. In this way a utopian view of the function of art is accompanied by an indifferent present, in which this public work of art is taken for granted.

The Rotterdam artist / filmmaker Mels van Zutphen made the short film commissioned by CBK Rotterdam / Sculpture International Rotterdam. The thing premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival in Utrecht on September 30, 2018.

Credits
The Thing (Untitled, 1957)
Duration: 18 ″
Direction, camera and editing: Mels van Zutphen
Sound Design: Charly van Rest
Visual Effects: Laurent Fluttert
Music: Charly van Rest
Production company: CBK Rotterdam / Sculpture International Rotterdam