Intense portrait of Paulus and Loes Visser - by their daughter Fifi - who have been trying to find out for over 25 years why and where their 18-year-old son Maarten disappeared in Chile.
On 12 December 1985, Maarten Visser disappeared near a volcano in Chile. After his final exams, he made a trip across South America. Paulus and Loes Visser immediately left for Chile to find out what had happened to him. Since then, they return every year. Filled with hope and fear, they make appeals in the local media and replace the posters. Maarten has been dominating family life for 25 years now.
For the first time, filmmaker Fifi Visser joins her parents to Chile. She follows them on their umpteenth trip along the familiar addresses. The calls made, the short interviews with her parents and the excerpts from Maarten’s letters visualise the despair. New information that a witness previously withheld produces a new clue, which leads them to the Colonia Dignidad. This community, founded by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer, served as a torture centre under Pinochet. But nobody can help them.
While Loes refuses to accept Maarten’s death, Paulus has resigned himself to it. He explains: 'Actually, you have two lives. One that stands still and one that goes on.'
For the first time, filmmaker Fifi Visser joins her parents to Chile. She follows them on their umpteenth trip along the familiar addresses. The calls made, the short interviews with her parents and the excerpts from Maarten’s letters visualise the despair. New information that a witness previously withheld produces a new clue, which leads them to the Colonia Dignidad. This community, founded by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer, served as a torture centre under Pinochet. But nobody can help them.
While Loes refuses to accept Maarten’s death, Paulus has resigned himself to it. He explains: 'Actually, you have two lives. One that stands still and one that goes on.'
Credits
Director
Producer
Scenario
Camera
Set geluid
Sound editing
Sound Design
Montage
Production company
De Aanpak
TV company
RTV Rijnmond
Distributor NL
De Aanpak
NFF Archive
You are now in the NFF Archive. The archive contains contains information on film, TV and interactive productions that were screened at past festival editions. The NFF does not dispose of this material. For this, please contact the producer, distributor or broadcaster. Sometimes, older films can also be found at the Eye Film Museum or the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision.
Stills
