In The Wave the archaeological gaze of the viewer is set in motion: a mass grave from the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) opens and closes itself. In 2011 we placed a camera above the spot where nine victims were buried after their execution by Franco’s supporters in June 1939. On day one of the excavation, a digging crane gently loosened the top layer of soil, until the archaeologists came across a skull with a bullet hole. Then the archaeologists continued their work by hand. The skeletons appeared, then disappeared, as if a strong wind blew that removed the sand and uncovered death, a primal truth.

CREDITS

Directed by: Katrien Vermeire & Sarah Vanagt
Camera: Katrien Vermeire
Editing: Inneke Van Waeyenberghe
Sound Design: Larry Sider & Gary Sanctuary
Motion Design: Elias Heuninck
Animation & Additional motion design: Inneke Van Waeyenberghe
Sound Mix: The Project
Colour Grade: Sebastien Koeppel
Assistant Colour Grade: Thomas Depas
Graphic Design: Maaike Beuten, Garage64
Mastering: Stempel

Produced by Balthasar
Coproduced by Michigan Films

With the support from Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Centre du Cinéma et de l'Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie, Beursschouwburg Brussels, Vooruit Gent, Transat Video Caen, Printroom Rotterdam.

Distribution: Argos Centre for Art & Media

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