Stand van de maan

The camerawork in Leonard Retel Helmrich’s documentaries is always by the filmmaker himself, using a method he dubbed single shot cinema. Filmed with a small, mobile camera, the shots move intuitively with the scenes, often combining multiple camera angles without the need for editing.

In this sequel to Stand van de zon (The Eye of the Day), which won the top documentary prizes at both IDFA and Sundance, the experimentation with inventive camera positions goes even further, resulting in surprising perspectives and dizzying shots.

This chapter in the chronicle of the Sjamsuddin family includes the youngest son’s conversion to Islam and the extinguishing of a large fire in their Jakarta neighborhood. But the central theme is grandmother Rumidjah’s desire to leave the hectic city behind and return to her rural birthplace. This will mean a separation from her granddaughter Tari, who has already lost her mother. Having moved to the countryside, Rumidjah discovers that time has not stood still there either.