Rotterdam Classics: De stad die nooit rust

The city that never rests is introduced by Joop de Jong. This screening is in collaboration with the Rotterdam City Archives and is part of Rotterdam Classics: a series of archive films that show the city in all its guises.

Cameraman and photographer Andor von Barsy gives a fascinating impression of life in Rotterdam in the 1920s. With his dynamic camerawork, he portrayed Rotterdam as a bustling city, where life is concentrated around the port. The film contains impressive shots – often from the air – of various Rotterdam ports and port expansions that were supposed to push the city into the fast lane. Von Barsy also focused his camera on the historic city centre, with its beautiful canals, warehouses, bustle on the quays and lively shopping streets. The city that never rests was originally a commissioned film, intended to attract investors. The shots were used in many ways. At the initiative of the Rotterdam City Archives, the film was restored by EYE Film Museum in 2011. After much puzzling and detective work, almost the entire version has been restored to its former glory. Introduction As a filmmaker and guest curator, Joop de Jong made many exhibitions and films for museums and broadcasters. Often with Rotterdam as a perspective and with history, photography and film as connecting elements. He developed, among other things: Rotterdam Werkt (Netherlands Photo Museum, 2021) The Attack, May 1940, five days of battle for Rotterdam (Museum Rotterdam & City Archives Rotterdam, 2015). He is currently working on the exhibition Cityscape Rotterdam, which will open this year in the new Netherlands Photo Museum.