Brussel, scherven van geluk (1995) (57 min). English subtitles.

Directly translated, the film's title means ‘Brussels, shards of happiness’. This is not a traditional documentary about the Belgian capital, but a film essay that attempts to understand the development of the city, where thousands arrive every day by train or car to go to work but leave again in the evening. Cornelis meditates on the question of how Brussels transformed from a comfortable to an impossible city to live in. By blending archive material and contemporary footage (from 1995, the year of its production), the clash between vision, change, and reality is revealed.

De straat (1972) (40 min). English subtitles.

What is a street? A traffic artery or a place where life is lived? De straat is a study that is conducted both scientifically and artistically. Recognisable street noise, music and a clinical, explanatory voice-over are accompanied by stunning images filmed from a helicopter and sharp jump-cuts between street and market scenes in Belgium, Italy and elsewhere. The focal point is how streamlining and increased control over traffic infrastructure in the 1970s affected not just existing residential areas but also fundamentally changed the conditions for social life.

The film programme is presented in collaboration with Terrassen, Cinemateket, CAFx (Copenhagen Architecture Festival) and AHC.