The Windpipe of a Cornplant | Begin Began Begun

The Windpipe of a Cornplant
Jan is a man in his thirties. Recently, his pregnant girlfriend walked out on him. We see close–ups of Jan amongst his many potted plants, lovingly caring for his three cats, sipping his beer and walking around town. Jan longs for a quiet life, an ordinary relationship with his girlfriend, livened up now and then by a party. He hopes for world peace, freedom and harmony between all nations. His optimism and zest for life are often interrupted by fits of self–destruction, however. Jan suffers from schizophrenia. This documentary tells the story of Jan's battle with his illness and the opportunities available to him despite his handicap. In its execution, the film is remarkably well tuned to the psychological state of mind of its central character, whose perceptions are not governed by the accurate linear logic of the rest of the world. On a daily basis, he has to deal with his deformed senses and battle with the constant intermingling of reality and figments of his imagination. Visually rich scenes full of peace and harmony, accompanied by Jan's quiet commentary, are punctuated by jerky, spasmodic sequences; static frames dominated by close–ups are suddenly interrupted by chaotic point of view shots, home videos are spliced with artwork. The result is an unsentimental film full of serious messages, as well as humour, an intimate insight into an illness as well an exploration of a man's rich heart.

Begin Began Begun
Documentary filmmaker Sarah Vanagt spent the Easter holiday in a village on the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ten years ago this location was the site of genocide. Today this event is slowly receding into the past and the director studied the first generation of "new kids", who will grow up without their own real memories of it. The teachers await new teaching materials, according to which they will teach. The history is being rewritten, but the marks of the endured violence can be seen at every step. Those accused of murder can only move around in rose colored clothing, and the gap between the impoverished Africans standing on opposite sides of the conflict is growing. In this geographic area there exist children's villages inhabited only by orphans of the military conflict, who were forced to bury their parents. The old govern the young. The children are the only survivors of the tragic events. The short takes and the author's style grippingly draw the audience members closer to the issue of genocide. The cruel world is movingly represented by following the children's games, which have their origins in their daily exposure to brutality; they are light and full of laughter, but the themes of the games are the capturing of refugees, firing on enemies or the burying of dead. The commentary of the director initiates us into the political situation and explains everything. We are sensitively drawn into the feeling of uncertainty and fear of further unrest through the letter of a young boy who writes of the continuing threat to his village. The clear representation and the concentration on a given theme are the hidden strengths of this documentary film, which will not leave the viewer cold.

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