Cinema of Brunant

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Palace Grand, the oldest cinema of Brunant

The cinema of Brunant has a long and vivid history. The first films were made in the 1900's and since the 1960's, the Brunanter film industry has dominated the domestic market. The history of Brunanter cinema is generally divided in four periods: Pre-war cinema (1900's - 1941), the Classic period (1945 - 1969), the New Cinema (1970 - 1990's) and the Modern period (1990's - today).

Brunanters quickly embraced the new medium, resulting in a quantitatively impressive outpout. The most important filmmaker of this early period was the immensely prolific Joseph van Marwijk, director of the first feature film, The American West (1908), but many other filmmakers left their mark. Brunanter films went through a crisis during the 1930's, as most domestic companies could not compete with the American sound films. Following the German occupation of the country, the industry experienced a revival and it flourished with films made by John Barker, Fabian Barthols, Ennio Pazzini and others. In the early 1970's, a new, more artistic, approach came with directors like Diederick Kluijskens and Michael Maybury. Around 1990, a decline in audiences was seen, but the industry recovered next decade. Contemporary cinema, spearheaded by filmmakers like John Fadaaq, Edith van der Looy and Adam Martin, has been described as a "stew of different styles and genres".

Pre-war cinema (1905-1941)[]

The first motion picture shot in Brunant is probably Hendricus Joosten's 70-second documentary of men milking sheep at a farm near Limburg, in 1905. Joosten also made the first narrative short, a now lost comedy starring himself. Palace Grand, the first cine-theater of Brunant opened in 1907, followed by Habermas Theater in 1909.

Joseph van Marwijk became the first filmmaker to achieve great success and he is regarded as the most significant silent film director. In 1908, he made the first Brunanter feature film, The American West, inspired by The Great Train Robbery. Especially with the films he directed during the late 1910's and 1920's (Lilies of the Forest - 1919, Lord Keaven - 1922, The Colonel's Nose - 1925 etc), he experimented with . All in all, van Marwijk directed over 40 films between 1906 and 1931, including Lilies of the Forest (1912), Lord Keaven (1922) and The Colonel's Ears (1925).

Soon, numerous pioneers made their appearance. Eugene Nonney released Those who Returned (1921), a poignant and highly influential documentary focusing on the injured soldiers of World War I. Around the same time, Craig Edwards had emerged as the most recognizable comedic actor. The first science-fiction feature film, The Invention of Dr. Omum, was made by C.M. Greene in 1930, while Andrew Ginn directed some of the most intense dramas of that time. Amelia Barnhard was the first female director and had an impressive filmography, with movies ranging from fantasy to romance and thriller. Among the actors and actresses that achieved stardom were Joe Bertin, Thomas Bolton, Josephine Berner and Martha Buddock.

The matter of which Brunanter production company came first is in doubt. Anyhow, the two leading firms were Pauw Film and Europa Films, founded in 1915 and 1926 respectively. Europa Films still operates and is one of the greatest Brunanter studios.

The crisis of sound[]

In early 1930's, the ascent of Brunanter cinema was disrupted by the invasion of the American talkies and the ongoing depression. Most companies could not afford the equipment for making sound films and many of them ceased production or closed down. The output fell sharply, but there where still a few notable films, such as C.M. Greene's The Last Knight (1933). By 1935, the whole situation had hurt the domestic film industry to the point where only a single feature film was released that year.

Around 1937, the market was essentially an oligopoly, as Pauw Film and Europa Films funded about 3/4 of all films. According to film scholars, this actually kept the industry alive. While silent movies were still released, a few talkies appeared, including A Life in the Shadows (1936) by John Barker, Moonlight (1937) by Amelia Barnhard and The Painter (1938) by Clemens Blom. By 1940, all Brunanter films released were talkies.

During World War II[]

On May 1941, the country entered a 3-year occupation by the Nazi forces. The occupation of the country meant the destruction of the industry's insfrastructure, as the Germans confiscated the equipment of almost all production companies and the cinemas were used as Soldatenkinos - cinemas for soldiers.

A notable case was that of Our Last Night. Clemens Blom had begun filming it just a few days before the invasion. Initially, he was given a permission to complete his movie, but shooting was interrupted and the cameras were confiscated. However, Blom somehow managed to retrieve the reels. Our Last Night was completed shortly after the liberation and it became the first post-war film, released in 1946.

Classic era (1945-1969)[]

The reconstruction period[]

On July 1944, Brunant was declared free. Of all the companies active during the early 1940's, only Europa Films came alive out of the German occupation and despite the primitive means produced the first post-war films (Our Last Night - 1946, The Silent Shepherd - 1946). In 1947, a sudden boom was observed, as five new companies were established. However, these would not release any film until 1949. Thus, Europa Films remained the only player for a while. Perhaps the most noteworthy picture of that reconstruction period was The Apprentice of the Shoemaker (1949) by Amelia Barnhard.

Heyday[]

Comedy was perhaps the most popular genre during the classic era. However, most comedies lacked originality and depended on cliches and stock characters. The most important excepts were Ennio Pazzini's films, which were embedded with surreal elements. Another such film that rose above mediocrity was Monster Hospital (1963), directed by Herbert S. Hosen.

One of the most illustrious figure of the 1950's and 1960's was John Barker. Barker had started his career in the silent era, but it was his third film, Private Ellery (1951), that brought him success and recognition. His next movies (A Sailor from Boguestown - 1954, Men and Beasts - 1958, The Honest Gardener - 1962) consolidated his position at the forefront of Brunanter cinema. Close to Barker's paradigm of more complicated storytelling techniques and innovative camera movements, were Jan Rotterdammer (The Mule - 1953, At the Old Tavern - 1955) and Stefano Mirro (A Mother and her Daughter - 1956).

Fabian Barthols was perhaps the most financially succesful director of that period, representing a less artistic, action-driven style of cinema. He is still considered the "king" of epic genre, mainly due to the technically masterful The Three Days (1953) and Gisbert (1960). Other films in a similar vein were Adenis and Virsise (1961) by Alexander Koopman, Burmese Romance (1962) by Laurence Caird and Escape from Mermaid Island (1963) by Paul Riesner.

A Barker Award, awarded at Rosetown Film Festival

Genres like horror and crime had little to no representation. Alexander Koopman's classic sci-fi horror It Came from Planet 68 (1956) took the audience by surprise and strangely enough was quite successful. The Severed Nose (1961), directed by Jonathan Harr and based on Fedde Laninga's emblematic novel, is by far the best example of mystery, but was generally met with indifference.

The Rosetown Film Festival was first held in 1964. It was the first such institution in Brunant and it would subsequently evolve into the primary showcase for filmmakers from the country. It was conceived and realized by John Barker, who also served as the first president.

The emergence of new scenes[]

Progressively, the audience grew weary of the oversupply of comedies and adventure/action films, which represented the majority of films produced in the early 1960's. Many viewers turned to foreign films, which offered a more compelling cinematic experience. As a result, Brunanter films sold less and less tickets after 1967, although overall cinema attendance was on the rise.

Towards the end of the decade, new directors tried to break away from the dominant conventions, by seeking fresh and provocative ideas. Karel Zwart and Cristove Vianna were perhaps the most prominent. Alongside Reinier Arends and Edwin Bakker, Zwart founded ZAB Studios, which has now become the leading animation studio in Brunant. His directorial debut The Magnificent New Garment of the King (1968) caused some controversy, although it is generally regarded as a masterpiece of Brunanter animation. Similarly, Vianna's The Magician (1969) received mixed reviews, but over the years it has developed a cult following, as have his next films. Paul Riesner's The Lovebird (1969) was also a landmark in Brunanter cinema and is considered a foreshadowing of the New Cinema, which arose during the coming decade.

New Cinema and Avant-garde (1970-1990)[]

In 1970, Diederick Kluijskens released The Burnt Cypress, a successful war drama, followed by the award-winning A Last Fraud (1978) and The Wolf (1983). According to film scholar Johannes de Jong, the release of The Burnt Cypress marked the beginning of a new period. Indeed, the directors associated with the so-called New Cinema differ from their predecessors in various ways. Most of them have a more critical view of recent Brunanter history or move away from historical subjects to personal dramas. Crime films, which until now were rather scarce, became a vehicle of social commentary. Also, films of this current prompted spectator responses more uncertain and discomforting than those of previous decades. There is an ongoing debate over which directors should be considered a part of New Cinema, but all scholars agree that next to Kluijskens, Francha Lerra (The Lemon Tree blossoms Again - 1972) and Michael Maybury (Mistaken Lines - 1977, The Crimson Blouse - 1980, The Good Man - 1984) were leading figures of the wave.

Some believe that Antoni Wisnowski's bleak style makes him also a member of New Cinema, while others disagree due to his earlier career. Anyhow, Wisnowski was among the most decorated filmmakers of the time, making such films as Treason (1977), Fog in the Streets (1980), Trust Nobody (1981) and The Informant (1983). Paul-Jan Seelaar has been described as "a category by his own". Best known for Where the Ocean meets the Sun (1972) and Into Maarten's Head (1977), he is regarded as the greatest proponent of surrealism in Brunanter cinema. Nevertheless, several critics include Seelaar in the New Cinema wave, based on his departure from the conventions of earlier cinema.

At that time, Nathalie Jonker had already collaborated with many great directors and was an experienced cinematographer. She made her directorial debut in 1984, with The Unknown Man. Her first films, especially The Tears of a Clown (1987), are said to be the missing link between New Cinema and the next generation. Wisnowski has called her "the Great Dame of Brunanter cinema".

Contemporary cinema (1990 - present)[]

By the early 90's, the New Cinema aesthetics had become the norm of Brunanter Cinema. The recurrence of stark thematology and the lack of humour led to a decline of the audience. However, at the same time there was a new wave of filmmakers, who were about to renew the spectators' interest.