Requiem 2019 with Rutger Hauer

The last surviving whale in the oceans meets its greatest enemy, the man. This fantastic journey, directed by Rutger Hauer & Sil van der Woerd leads us into the very sad future. Whalemen (Rutger Hauer) is confronted with his crime. Devastation that he has left behind is equal to the devastation of his soul. A moment of recognition is the moment where he perishes. What an absolutely beautiful piece of Art! What a Crime! According to Whalewatch over two million whales were killed in the 20th Century. Does whaling still take place? Yes.   

I just have to quote Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner):
“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I’ve watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost in time, like tears…in rain.Time to die.” (more after the video)

Requiem 2019 from Sil van der Woerd on Vimeo.

Rutger’s Notes:
‘The slaughter of whales as a source of food is so outdated. Just because that is what they have always done? Tradition? Come on, now! People are the worst type of animal. One day, during a trip in a canoe, I literally looked straight into the eye of a whale. It is something that every man on Earth should experience. We must not be allowed to destroy these beautiful creatures. The consequences would be enormous. This is how we got around to the theme for Requiem 2019. Sil and I simply had to make something to stop people hunting down these wonderful creatures. I can’t go along with Sea Shepherd during their campaign. It’s better for me to do what I do best, and here it is!’

With an outstanding mixture of fiction, animation, music video and old files, the film warns in the most beautiful way about an impending tragedy.

This film is produced for a part of Danish Filmlab Aarhus called ‘Aarhus Stories 2011’, where musicians meets film directors, and together re-interpret short films.

source:
Rutger Hauer Official Home Site