Go to content
Following a couple of dignitaries and an average family in Staphorst, a documentary portrait arises of a closed church community facing moral and religious dilemmas.
'Staphorst' is proverbial for 'strictly Reformed and closed'. This made it rather unusual that documentary-makers Van Rouveroy & Van Rouveroy were allowed to shoot a portrait of this village community over a longer period of time. Of course, the church remained off-limits during the service, but a sound recording captures a reproachful sermon by the minister. As head of the SGP (Reformed Party) and an alderman's father, the minister also has a finger in the political pie, which touches on a sore issue. At council meetings, councillors from non-confessional parties raise objections to this marriage of religion and government. Other agenda items are the cursing ban and the observance of Sunday's rest. This is interlarded with the vicissitudes of the Kok family, who face moral and religious dilemmas. The father is seriously ill, the son prefers night life to church and the traditionally dressed mother has her private thoughts. Their conversion from Historic Calvinism to Neo-Calvinism is a crucial option.

Title: Staphorst in tegenlicht
Year: 2008
Duration : 54 minutes
Category: Short Documentary
Edition: NFF 2008

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

Still
Still
Still