STANDBY PAINTER
Synopsis
An almost deserted museum, a guard wearing high heels, a cinephile thief and a Monet painting.
In September 2000, Robert Z. was given permission by the National Museum in Poznań, Poland, to make a replica of Monet’s painting ‘Beach in Pourville’. He was allowed to work in the quiet museum, which had no operational security cameras and was almost deserted on weekdays. Only one female guard was around, who every now and then inadvertently alerted Robert by the click-clack sound of her shoes. When he completed the task he came for, he returned home. Only days later did the truth finally dawn on the museum staff. In this revealing story, Robert himself confesses about the events and consequences of that fateful day in the museum.
Credits
Writers & Directors: Amir Yatziv & Guy Slabbinck
With: Robert Zwolinski
Paintings: Guy Slabbinck
Producers: Eurydice Gysel (CZAR Film), Amir Yatziv, Guy Slabbinck
Line Producers: Kaat Camerlynck, Amir Yatziv
Camera: Hyun de Grande, Lukasz Konopa
Sound design: Nati Zeidenstadt
Piano: Uriel Herman
Editing: Amir Yatziv
Funding
Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF)
Supported by Israel Ministry of Culture-Lottery, Ostrovsky Family Fund (USA) & the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government
Sales
Ruth Films
Bio Directors
Amir Yatziv (1972) is a filmmaker and a visual artist. He is interested in past narratives and their contemporary interpretations. In his work he creates a sense of estrangement, revealing the impossibility of a single coherent historical truth. Amir is a graduate of Bezalel Academy of Arts (2008) and Hito Styerel Class (2010). His works were shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions including Tate Modern – UK, KW Berlin – Germany, Van Abbemuseum – Netherlands and more. He lives and works in Tel Aviv.
Guy Slabbinck (1979) creates paintings, drawings and etchings infused with colour. Guy Slabbinck’s recent pictures deal with painting and the status of an artist. He often starts off with existing paintings or traditional themes such as paradise lost, colonial history and mythology. By studying and reworking the layers of meaning in the images of classical art he creates a new visual language. Slabbinck’s works were shown in numerous group and solo exhibitions including WOW Art Gallery in Brussels, MSK in Ghent, Zwart Huis Gallery in Knokke, NK Gallery in Antwerp. He studied art at the LUCA School of Arts and Science in Ghent, lives and works in Ghent.
Festival selections
- World premiere at Visions du Réel, Nyon, International Medium-Length & Short Film Competition, 2018
- Nominated for Depth of Field Competition at DocAviv Film Festival, Tel Aviv, 2018
- Nominated for International Documentary Competition at Krakow Film Festival, Polen, 2018
- Selected for BAFF, in competition, 2018