Hugo Roelandt

Directed by poet and filmmaker Jess De Gruyter, a former student of Hugo Roelandt’s, this documentary presents diverse perspectives on Roelandt’s oeuvre. The film features interviews with key figures from his life, including Roger D’Hondt, the founder of the New Reform art space in Aalst; Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven, Roelandt’s friend and former girlfriend; Johan Pas, the director of the Royal Academy in Antwerp; Marc Holthof, his lifelong collaborator; and Lydia Van Loock, his partner. Archival material highlights the variety of his work while also addressing his impactful teaching practice, the demons that shaped his life, his illness and his meticulously planned final performance. In line with Roelandt’s resourceful way of working, De Gruyter filmed and edited the film himself, using the materials at his disposal.