The slogan “Meet the Icons of Modern Art” needs to be scraped off the glass wall of the Stedelijk, Amsterdam’s Museum of Modern Art. Because precisely who these icons of modern art are is very much the question.
Who gets to decide? And who loses out? In 2019, as director Sarah Vos started shooting her documentary, more than 90 percent of the art at the Stedelijk was made by white men. That must change, the museum’s director Rein Wolfs believes. But it’s easier said than done—as becomes clear when the film’s director Sarah Vos follows Wolfs and his team as they strive for greater diversity in the collection, as well as among their staff.
It was a brave move by the Stedelijk to allow a camera behind the scenes of a process that raises uncomfortable and awkward questions. Can a painting still be entitled “The Prostitutes”? When you appraise art, should you also take the skin color or gender of the artist into account? And how is one to engage with visitors who find all this “too politically correct”?
This film is more than a look behind the scenes at a museum: as well as presenting a new perspective on art history, it magnificently encapsulates the struggles that are engaging many historical and cultural institutions.
WHITE BALLS ON WALLS is a Zeppers Film production, in co-production with the NTR and was funded by the Netherlands Film Fund, The Netherlands Film Production Incentive, CoBO, The Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunsten and Fonds 21.
White Balls on Walls had it’s world première during IDFA 2022 and will furthermore be shown during prestigious filmfestivals. For updates, check our socials.
White Balls on Walls, directed by Sarah Vos, will premiere on November 11th at 6.30 pm during the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. The film will be shown on the big screen for the first time that evening, in the beautiful theatre of Carré! White Balls......
From 2 february onwards, you can go and see “White Balls on Walls” in the next theaters: Het Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam De Verkade Fabriek, Den Bosch Heerenstraat Theater, Wageningen Click here to stay up to date with the upcoming screenings and specials!...
Save the date for these upcoming special screenings of “White Balls on Walls”! 02-02-23 – de Balie special including talk with Stedelijk’s Artistic Director Rein Wolfs and Charl Landvreugd. 02-02-23 – Filmtheater Hilversum special including talk with Director Sarah Vos. 07-02-23 – Ketelhuis......
Director
Sarah Vos
Sarah Vos is multiple awarded with her documentaries. She directed Welcome to Holland – Campus Vught (Silver Zebra and Golden Calf nomination), Big Brother in the Middle-East (Nipkowschijf) and Curaçao (together with Sander Snoep) awarded with the Price of the Dutch Film journalists and Best of Idfa on Tour.
Together with Zeppers Film she realized the documentaries Curaçao (2010) and Hier Ben Ik(2017), both with co-director Sander Snoep, and Beyond Kafka’s Trial (2019).
Credits
Director and script Sarah Vos
Camera Sander Snoep, Ton Peters
Sound Mark Wessner, Bouwe Mulder
