In focus: Ruimte om te luisteren, een case study van Memoria door Koen van Driel

“Memoria connects two fascinations of mine: slow cinema and a major role for sound design. I have always had a love-hate relationship with slow cinema. Why would you let a shot linger for so long that you, as a viewer, actually become distracted and start thinking about other things? I often didn't understand those choices and was confronted with my already short attention span. And as a filmmaker who is heavily involved with themes such as stillness, mindfulness, and attention, this might sound strange. Perhaps good sound design, as in Memoria, is precisely the way to make slow cinema films more meaningful and bearable. In Memoria, you notice what emerges when you do not fill the viewer's full attention with visual spectacle. It is precisely when the image pauses for a moment that the powerful role of sound design becomes clear: creating atmosphere and impact, but also influencing the viewer's perception of time. In addition to watching Memoria together, I want to show and hear many examples of (slow cinema) films with unique sound design concepts and listening experiences, to sharpen your senses.”

MEMORIA
From Golden Palm-winning director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, starring Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton, comes an intriguing drama about a Scottish woman who, after hearing a loud ‘bang’ at dawn, undergoes a mysterious sensory experience during her journey through the jungles of Colombia.

KOEN VAN DRIEL
Koen is a director and writer from Utrecht. As a filmmaker, he often starts from form to explore themes such as stillness, attention, and perception. In his films, Koen focuses more on the how than on the what, and his creative process therefore often begins with a visual or auditory concept or experiment. For example, he tells a story from the perspective (or ears) of a sound engineer, or immerses the viewer in a world where a deafening sandstorm rages. Drawing on his background in sound design and his interest in mindfulness, the experience of the film is central to his work. He sees it as a challenge to fully immerse the viewer sensually in the characters' perspective while watching. His films take their time and invite the audience to leave the cinema with keen ears, in the hope that this attention is also carried over into the world outside.