FAREWELLS
Het Afscheid
The captain of a ship in port has been entrusted with a secret government mission. He gives leave to the crew, but orders them to report back each morning. As the days go by, and the sailing date still remains a secret, the crew are thrown into a state of increasing uncertainty. The film concentrates on two crew members whose experiences are coloured by the omnipresent reality of the ship which is about to depart.
This grim but arresting film was directed by Roland Verhavert. who previously made a number of shorts, including last year's Melbourne Festival prize-winner, The Lieutenant. Films from the Flemish part of Belgium are rare: this one, along with The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short, indicate a welcome renaissance of film activity there.