take this production

Advocaatje leef je nog?

Short documentary, 2004, 52 min.

The advocate from the title is Paul Bovens, a renowned criminal lawyer who used to defend suspects of the most serious category of crimes. In May 2001, he survived a bomb attack on his office. The culprit has as yet not been found; a few months later, Bovens decided to close his office. In this stylised portrait - using a smoothly gliding camera, atmospheric music and a mix of colour and black-and-white - the former lawyer looks back on his career. `Sometimes I come across rather merciless', he admits. `I'm no hail-fellow well met.' Berkvens combines interviews and images of Bovens' private life with excerpts from news programmes. Bovens dons his bands and gown once more for a visit to the (empty) courtroom and also dresses up for other occasions, visiting his parents, celebrating carnival. Meanwhile, he talks about compassion, loneliness and the reactions from his surroundings.

View ISAN

Director

Writer

Producer

Composer

Cinematographer - DoP

Editor

Sound mixer

Location sound recordist

Production company