This morning at the tram stop we meet Willem who, after confirming that we are indeed going the right way on the right tram, tells us about his work teaching free classes in Dutch and Dutch culture to folks from Turkey, Morocco, Bulgaria, Spain, Poland, Suriname, the Dutch Caribbean and West Africa. This sounds like the perfect way to meet some friends and improve our non-existent language skills but alas, the classes are only for those seeking Dutch citizenship. In fact, new immigrants from selected countries (i.e.: not the EU) must take and pass proficiency tests in both language and culture within a specific time frame (somewhere between three and five years usually, depending on personal circumstance) or risk losing permanent residence in the Netherlands. Mandatory integration or improved cross-cultural communication and understanding? One more question to follow up on with the people of Rotterdam…
Today’s cinematic gem is a fantastic shorts program entitled Chromotherapy Strips, featuring the absolutely stunning Compound Eyes by Paul Clipson and similarly inspiring work by Esther Urlus, Daichi Saito, Sophie Michael and our sweet friend Charlotte Pryce. Discussion at dinner centers around the bankruptcy announcement by Kodak and the possibilities of providing a reliable handmade emulsion recipe through open source channels. All I can say is, when you got it, shoot it! And show it in fresh and enchanting ways, as revealed by Xavier Quérel‘s late night performance at Worm: Quelques minutes de soleil après minuit. We leave with heads filled with fantastic plans for EPFC’s old flatbed…
