Villa Empain

　　WhatcouldthefateoftheVillaEmpain,BaronEmpain’scrazyprojectinBrussels,whichhasgonethroughalongandeventfuljourneysinceitscompletionin1934,possiblyinspire?KatharinaKastner’schallengewastodrawtheportraitoftheplace,keepinginmindtheworkoftime,likeinahumanexistence.Shotin16mm,herfilmappealstothesenses,itcapturesthestirringofleavesundulatinginthegardenlight,themovementofiridescentpearls,orthecolourfulgamesof
apiecebyDanielBuren.Withoutaword,butwithacaressingcamera,shepayscloseattentiontothehiddenpatternsonthegorgeousmarbles,ortotheveinsinthemostprecioustypesofwoodusedtodecoratetherooms.Inslighttouches,regardlessofthemonumentalaspectofthe27.000square-feetvillaandthepoolthatsoimpresseditsfirstvisitors,KatharinaKastneroersanorganicvisionoftheplace,whichhasbeenmarkedbythetrialsandtribulationsoflife,andusedsuccessivelyasamuseum,anembassyandasquat,untilitsfinalrenovation.Theclevereditingmakesfurtiveconnections,underlinescolourassociations,mixesuptimesandtactilesensations,whilethespacesweexplorekeeprustling.Thefilmtakesusonareminiscingjourney,withslicesofEmpain’slife,fromthefamilyarchivehereonaholiday,thereplayingonthebeach,imagesfromadistantpastthatkeephauntingthepremises.Thefilmrevealstousthislivingspacethatwasdesignedlikeapieceofart,butitdoessoinawanderingway.Thisdreamvisionguidesusthroughthevillalikeanechoofforegonefantasies,amentalspace,butalsoawelcomingbackdropfortheworkoftime.Abitlikethefingerprintworkweseeinthefilm,ortheslighttouchofapencilonablanksheet.