a documentary by Digna Sinke
produced by SNG Film / Studio Nieuwe Gronden in co-production with NPS

 
see also: www.tiengemeten.com

NEW TIENGEMETEN is the third (independent) part of a documentary series about the island of Tiengemeten. Tiengemeten lies in Haringvliet, just south of Rotterdam. In the early 90's, in the framework of the Ecological Main Structure, the first plan was developed to transform the agricultural area of the island into nature with recreactional joint use. The actual beginning could eventually be carried out in 2006.

logline:
The asphalt roads are dug up to creeks, the dike is cut, the farms are given new destinations. Will man succeed in making nature? Nature that is also fit for recreation?

                                                           

from the film plan:
Part 3 begins in January 2006. The last farmer has gone. All sorts of people claim the island for themselves. Huib Bijl, the ferryman, stays. Everyday he sees who comes and goes on the island. He knows the latest goings-on. The people who work for the contracters are hard workers. Come rain, sleet or shine. And not much different from Haanstra's heroes in Deltaphase 4 or De Stem van het Water. But now they are busy with finding out how they can get rid of a dike instead of building one. In the beginning of 2007 Tiengemeten is an indescripable mud pool. Two new roads have been lain along the northern dike, with freshly planted trees alongside and neatly sowed rows of grass. Great areas of land are under water. The old poplars are almost all felled, apart from along the southern dike, which is mostly dug-up. Only the old Vos farm still lies there, as a ruin, and the old potato shed, with the overgrowth around it. For the rest, there is nothing. A total wasteland. There is one tree left. We still know where he used to stand. He is our anchor. Otherwise we delve into nothingness.

We film Gerwin Geertse of Natuurmonumenten as he looks at how PQs are made. PQs are Permannent Quadrants, segments of ground spanning 25 by 25 metres. Gerwin will occupy himserlf with what is called monitoring and the PQs are intended for research about what is going to grow in the new nature. The PQ Gerwin is going to look at lies close by to the farm of Leen Vos. It is a square parcel of bare mud. He walks around some and discusses telephonically with executor Sil Verboon how they are going to mark the PQs. With sticks, or with a piece of metal in the ground, traceable with a detector. The Scottish Highlanders, as it happens, are rather rough with the sticks.

Gerwin will also occupy himself with the lay-out of the Oude Polder. In the plans this part of Tienegmeten will be indicated with the term Wistful (Weemoed). Agriculture will be practised as it has been in the past, small-scale and by hand. Near the Oude Polder lies a farm: the Idahoeve. There are advanced plans to make a "care farm" there for people with brain damage. The intention is that the new inhabitants help on the land and in the vegetable garden fo the Idahoeve.

In the spring of 2007 the mud slowly but surely becomes completely overgrown. A couple of years ago we saw how vacant land turned into a fairy-like field with camomile in only one season. The appearence of the island will again completely change. Will the expected visitors find what they are looking for? Will they walk further than the new vantage point? How many people dare to go into the wilderness? The ferryman, who used to deliver mail to the farmers, in a couple of years will go by the recreational activities and care farm. What will he make of it?

And Leen Vos? He had a brand new house built in Dinteloord, with well equipped sheds. In the distance the lights of the electricity pylons can be seen by the Haringvliet bridge. In the past he could also see them from Tiengemeten, but then from the other side.

The adventure now begins for real. Plans have been made, research has been done, there has been dug, and now nature has to go its course. And nature wil certainly do that. In its own way. Maybe even different from what people have thought.

 
scenario & direction: Digna Sinke
camera: Jan Wich, Jaap Veldhoen
sound: Tom d’Angremond, Menno Euwe, Erik Langhout, Albert Elings
editing: Albert Elings
sound design: Klink / Marc Lizier
producer: Digna Sinke

year: 2010
length: 53 min.

the film is made with support from: 
het Nederlands Fonds voor de Film
NPS
Thuiskopie Fonds
Mediafonds
CoBO Fonds

 
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