Verborgen Zone (Hidden Zone) / 1997 / 50 min. / 16 mm / color

A film by Victor Nieuwenhuijs & Maartje Seyferth

Town-planner Ashok Bhalotra has realised a dream, in which art had to be integrated in architecture and landscape. To realise his dream, Bhalotra ‘kidnapped’ a piece of land of the new district Kattenbroek, part of the historic town of Amersfoort in the Netherlands. He called this piece of land ‘HIDDEN ZONE’.
The central theme of this project is the ‘Hypnerotomachia’, a fifteenth century Italian allegoric tale, written by Francesco Colonna. In his dreams, in pursuit of true love, the monk Poliphilo discovers mysterious landscapes and constructions. He visits places where the strangeness is normal, what can be seen as an allegory on the course of life. This dream is the point of departure for the film, as well as for the 12 participating international artists. The dream according to the work of these artists will be the core of the film. In fact, it is the incorporation of this dream which helps the viewer understand the artistic proces.
The film is considered by Ashok Bhalotra as the thirteenth work of art of the “Hidden Zone�.

The realisation of the works of art in the ‘Hidden Zone’ took five years, from 1992 until 1997.

Participating artists: Kazuo Katase, Gust Romijn, Albert Goederond, Jacques Vieille, Alice Aycock, Thom Puckey, Daan van Golden, Hans van den Ban, Joseph Semah, David Veldhoen, Hans van Lunteren, Dodeigne.

• Worldpremiere: 1997 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

director: Maartje Seyferth & Victor Nieuwenhuijs
script: Maartje Seyferth, Hans van Hechten
camera: Victor Nieuwenhuijs
sound: Hans Seyferth, Paul Mourus
soundmix: Paul Mourus
editor: Maartje Seyferth
narrator: Gianni Castellana
producer: Victor Nieuwenhuijs, Moskito Film Amsterdam