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Interview

Q&A: 'Maagdenhuis' Director Rei Nadal

by Christina Donoghue on 27 September 2021

Rei Nadal speaks to Christina Donoghue about her most recent film 'Maagdenhuis', discussing the underlying tones in romanticism and the joys of collaboration despite being separated by the pandemic.

Rei Nadal speaks to Christina Donoghue about her most recent film 'Maagdenhuis', discussing the underlying tones in romanticism and the joys of collaboration despite being separated by the pandemic.

To mark the occasion of MoMu’s P.LACE.S - Looking through Antwerp Lace exhibition, the fashion museum of Antwerp asked SHOWstudio to create an artistic intervention for the show.

Filmmaker Rei Nadal's response was as poetic and romantic as it was eerily nostalgic. Visually inspired by classical Dutch paintings from the 17th century, Maagdenhuis takes its name from The Maagdenhuis Museum - located in a 17th-century historic building - originally used as an orphanage for the maegdeckens, or maidens, up until the 19th century. Inspired by this history, Nadal's film plays on the tale of three little girls who used to live in the historical site, making lace; a kind of ghost story if you will.

Nadal spoke with Christina Donoghue about the film's underlying tones in romanticism and the joys of collaboration despite being separated by the pandemic.

'Maagdenhuis' by Rei Nadal

Christina Donoghue: How did you develop the concept for your film, and what challenges did you overcome (if any) when translating this concept visually?

Rei Nadal: I worked closely with Romy Cockx, the exhibition's curator, to develop the film's concept. She was absolutely brilliant.

There is a didactic side to this film in terms of presenting the evolution of lacemaking in Antwerp and intermixed with that; there is a little tale of the girls who used to live in this historical site, making the lace. A bit like a ghost story.

Romy and I wrote the script together and planned the shoot accordingly.

I guess the big challenge was not so much translating a concept but manoeuvring the whole project in the midst of the pandemic!

CD: The film is quite romantic in its approach towards the exhibition, accentuated by your use of close-up's that feature throughout. Was romanticism the ultimate goal here, or did it happen more naturally?

RN: I think there is a very immediate connection between lace and romanticism - and I see your point when you reference the way I use close-ups, which I do in most of my films. More than romanticism, I guess I look for connection and intimacy with the people I shoot… which is natural in a way; I guess we all look for those things in this life.

But going back to your point on romanticism, perhaps because there's that quick association, I wanted to work with really young girls, sort of horsing around in a way. I found that much more interesting and less cliched than anything else.

CD: What do you hope for the viewer to learn or take away from your film?

RN: It is interesting to see how we are applying technology to update techniques; creativity is not based solely on the designs of these garments but on how they are constructed.

CD: Did you have any film references in particular when translating the concept visually?

RN: No, I was just thinking about classic Dutch portraiture.

CD: Was there anything that particularly inspired you while making the film?

RN: People. Romy was absolutely brilliant. I loved working with Jolien, Lune Alice, Aragxann and Leonce, the models in this film.

There was something really moving about seeing machines work in such a precise way, too. Almost transcendent.

CD: Did you feel you had sole creative control when it came to translating a vision for film or was the outcome the result of more of a collaborative process?

RN: Every film is a collaboration!

'Maagdenhuis' by Rei Nadal
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