Willem de Ridder

The German artist Wolf Vostell and his family moved to a little village in Cáceres (Extremadura/Spain) in the seventies. In the middle of this primitive environment, he founded a contemporary art museum in connection with the local inhabitants, thus turning Malpartida into the first Fluxus village.

The film shows, in an almost motionless camera setting, a frumpy 1960s interior. The viewer sees a dresser with a vase of tulips atop it. Swelling music accompanies the camera as it slowly zooms in on Holland’s national flower. In the carefully constructed staging, it is like a visual sledgehammer when a single petal suddenly comes loose and falls. Then the camera modestly pulls back.

Rebellious youth program that causes a great stir by breaking societal taboos. 'Hoepla' portrays 'underground' culture, but the Netherlands is not yet ready for this in 1967. Public nudity and drunken soldiers cause many viewers and various members of the House of Representatives to condemn the program. Only three episodes are broadcast. Although 'Hoepla' gives the VPRO an innovative image, the broadcasting management decides to take the program off the air after much negative criticism and the associated loss of members. 'Hoepla' will always be mentioned in the same breath as the bare breasts of fashion model Phil Bloom. The program is produced by Hans Verhagen, Wim van der Linden, and Wim T. Schippers.