Our City

Brussels is the capital both of Belgium and of Europe. Just like any large city, its people come from a huge range of backgrounds. Some are rich, others poor, there are those living publicly and those hidden away, separate and together. Maria Tarantino, who comes from Italy but has lived in Brussels for some time now, has made a portrait of this city that so intrigues her by stringing together shots of neighborhoods and buildings, long-term residents, immigrants, and passersby to create a kaleidoscopic effect reminiscent of by Johan van der Keuken. Sometimes it’s music that leads us from one scene to another, while other times it’s the quiet, slowly panned shots of a street. We meet an Iranian poet and taxi driver walking through the European Parliament as he recites his work, and an African jeweler who shares her childhood memories. Scenes shot from a construction hoist hanging from an unfinished building make you feel like you’re floating through the city. And then the camera returns to an opulent Russian ball, or to one of the imposing old buildings that form the backdrop to yet another political summit, with the media hot on the heels of European world leaders. This cinematic composition gives the city a new face.