The director who seduced Dutch cinema, then seduced himself into oblivion.
"Pim is more consummate," actress Willeke van Ammelrooy concluded upon seeing Pim de la Parra again in Suriname, at the presentation of the restored version of his film Wan Pipel. This marked the end of her disagreement with the director, which arose during the making of this film, some 35 years ago now. The charming director doesn't seem like the kind of man you can stay angry with for long. Wan Pipel turned out to be a watershed in the career of this headstrong filmmaker, who shook up the Dutch film world in the late 1960s. Although he went on to fight back with his so-called "minimal movies," he would never again get the opportunities his talent and inventiveness deserved. In Parradox In-Soo Radstake provides a personal portrait of De la Parra, now 70 years of age, who after many adventures in the Netherlands has returned to his native Suriname. He discusses the major themes of his life and work, which for a long time coexisted: too many women, too little money, too much ego.
Acting
Van Ammelrooy's side-eye could cut glass.
Direction
Radstake lets Pim hang himself with his own charm.
Director
In-soo Radstake
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Pim's 'Parradox' spelling with two R's is his own branding—because one paradox wasn't egotistical enough.
De la Parra's 1960s 'Dutch New Wave' briefly threatened to exist; this doc is basically its funeral and wake combined.
NL
