Requiem - Sjef Lagro

Year:
1986
Length:
45 minutes

Tagline:
Psychological drama around two brothers on the mud flats.

Logline:
In Requiem two brothers meet to commemorate the death of their father one year earlier. On a wading trip in the Wadden Sea he had drowned in mysterious circumstances. The brothers differ fundamentally in their attitude to their father and in their explanation for his death. Their trip becomes a struggle over which of them is right. Threatened by the rising tide, the brothers confront each other.

Synopsis:
Two brothers are on their way to the mutually agreed place. One drives at high speed over the Afsluitdijk, the other goes on his racing bicycle through the North Frisian landscape. A year earlier, their father had died in mysterious circumstances, during a wading trip.
The oldest has brought a rucksack of their father along for the wading trip. The youngest does not really want to go, but still gets in the car with his brother. They begin their journey.
The brothers differ fundamentally in their attitude to their father and in their explanation for his death. According to the youngest, his father did not have an accident but committed suicide. An assumption rebuked by the eldest. Their journey becomes a contest about who is right. The brothers do not see eye to eye in the life paths the other has chosen. What has become of their ideals? One was an artist but gave this up and the other wanted to save his relationship with his girlfriend by blackmailing her with suicide.
The tide rises. They struggle through the rising water until the youngest sprains his ankle.

Cast:
Johan Leysen (Stephan)
Tom Jansen (his brother)
Pieter de Wijn (old man)
Stefan de Koning (boy)

Crew:
script & direction: Sjef Lagro
camera: Jules van den Steenhoven
sound: Math van Duurling, Jan Snijders
costumes: Patricia Lim
editing: Ot Louw
re-recording mix: Jan van Sandwijk
laboratory: Cineco
production manager: Marjon van Schaik
producer: René Scholten

this film is a co-production of Studio Nieuwe Gronden with NOS televisie

this film is financially supported by:
Fonds voor de Nederlandse Film

Awards:
Nederlandse Filmdagen 1986: Golden Calf Best Short Film