Poem of Death
When someone dies alone in Amsterdam, a poet writes a poem and reads it at the funeral. F. Starik and his fellow poets work with the few traces that remain: a name, an address, belongings in an empty home. Alongside municipal workers, they search for enough of a life to give a stranger a personal farewell.
Screenings & viewingSelected awards
- Visions du RéelSpecial Mention, International Medium-Length Competition · 2013
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A figure stands against a blue background in a projected image from Poem of Death.
All films ↗Writing for someone you never knew
Municipal workers enter an empty home and look for information about its former occupant. A poet receives the few details they find and begins to write. The practical work of arranging a funeral runs alongside the difficulty of addressing someone the poet has never met.
Alongside the poets and municipal team, the film uses found footage and projections in the homes of the deceased. The related project Traces presents photographs from the funeral team’s archive, encountered during the research for the film.
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Poem of DeathScreenings & viewing requests
For a festival, classroom or public screening, get in touch about a viewing copy and screening arrangements.
Selected credits
- Director and screenplay
- Astrid Bussink
- Producer
- Frank van den Engel, Zeppers Film & TV
- Editing
- Riekje Ziengs
- Cinematography
- Aage Hollander, Rogier Timmermans and Stefano Bertacchini
- Broadcaster
- NTR
- Executive producer
- Julia van Schieveen
- Location sound
- Sander den Broeder
- Sound post-production
- Tom Bijnen
Film details & resources
- Original title
- Poule des Doods
- English title
- Poem of Death
- Year
- 2012
- Format
- Documentary
- Running time
- 49 min (NFF); 50 min (Visions du Réel)
Awards & festivals
Poem of DeathSpecial mentions & honours
- 2013
Visions du Réel
Special Mention, International Medium-Length Competition