My Pake (2022)
Synopsis
A young filmmaker seeks out the story of his late grandfather’s time as a 6-year-old in a Dutch tuberculosis sanatorium in the 1930’s. Through conversations with subjects who have their own unique connections to the sanatorium, the filmmaker uncovers information that informs his understanding of his grandfather and his experience.
Credits
Directors Statement
Director: Henry Van Zytveld
Director of Photography: Henry Van Zytveld
Editor: Henry Van Zytveld
Music: Huib Braamskamp
Featuring: Bartje Abbo-Tilstra
Lucie Hopman
Karen Van Zytveld
My grandfather passed away when I was 5 years old. Being the youngest grandchild by several years, I got the least amount of time with him. What I know about my grandfather is built through the stories that I hear from my family.
When I had the opportunity to film a documentary in Europe as part of my studies, I knew that I would be interested in pursuing something about my families’ roots in the Netherlands. I had heard stories about my grandfather’s illness, but it was always one of the stories that lacked a lot of details. I ultimately decided to take a leap of faith and attempt to tell a story from 90 years ago.
As I produced this film, I quickly learned that it was not just about his illness and his time in the sanatorium but more so about understanding a man that I never really got to know.
Stills
