14.05 always a kind of onward
Narrated by Rotterdam’s city poet Dean Bowen with his memorial poem ‘always a kind of onward’ the viewer is challenged to relive the bombing of the city of Rotterdam on the 14th of May 1940. However, this time, in the context of the present.
In a city rebuilt, a heedless community moves forward. The clock hits five ‘o clock. Leftover wage slaves drip homewards; an old couple can’t even remember each other’s existence and a young pregnant woman struggles to find her way in an overcrowded subway. For just a moment, time freezes. Stuck in an infinite feedback loop. Until a colossal eruption awakens the city and embraces it in a blanket of black smoke. Taking everyone’s breath.
Working on 14.05 was a masterclass in collective problem-solving. As a team, we asked ourselves: "What if the bombardment happened today?" With a limited budget but a shared vision, we set out to create something meaningful for the city of Rotterdam.
From a cinematography perspective, the challenge was to make the impossible feel real. We had to be incredibly inventive with our special effects and wereusing everything from custom-built air pressure cannons to the entire crew manually triggering "booby traps" with sticks. Seeing this motivated crew push the boundaries of DIY filmmaking was an inspiring experience, proving that a dedicated team can bring even the most colossal ideas to life.
Curious about how we pulled off these special effects on a DIY budget? Take a look at the 'Behind the Scenes' below.
a Rauwkost Film production
Spoken word by Dean Bowen, based on Loyce Gayo’s ‘How We Forget’
Starring: Rene Breemans, Binet Dassen, Wing Poon, Kimberley Agyarko, Ivan Groenheijde, Eline Havenaar
Made possible by:
Municipality of Rotterdam, Central Library of Rotterdam, OPEN Rotterdam & The International Film Festival of Rotterdam
Producer: Arjen van Doezelaar
Director: Guido F.G. Jeurissen
Director of Photography: Lawrence Lee
Art Director: Iris Schutgevaar
Editor: Bram Kuiper
Production Coördinator: Chiara Tichelman
Visual Effects: Ashok Rajeswaran
Sound: Ting Fung Cheung
Gaffer: Friso Tjalma, Tjeerd Melchers