Zuiderzeewerken

An extended version of the last sequence of Wij bouwen. We see the construction of the lock at Den Oever, the construction and the closing off of the dike Wieringen?Medemblik. The last hole is closed on Monday July 29, 1929. The central theme of the film is the heroic strength of the worker. Pudovkin welcomed this film as a step forward in Ivens's work, from formalism to 'living themes'. "With this film, Ivens proves to be a director / cameraman who does not ignore the essential problems of life, but who thinks in concrete terms. Moreover", Pudovkin goes on, "the theme (human labour) subjugates the film to its laws. That causes an 'artistic truth', an inherent organic logic which creates unity, which gives the work artistic persuasiveness and makes the art dependent on the living truth." The film is a preservation of a new discovered nitrate copy in the Dutch Film Museum. The film had been discovered along with film material of the reclaimed Wieringermeer Lake made by Studio Joris Ivens. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)