Hoy como ayer (2011)

Directed by: Bernie IJdis | 70 minutes | documentary | With: Juan Carlo Godoby

This fourth documentary by filmmaker Bernie IJdis describes an evening in the life of the old tango maestro Juan Carlo Godoby. The best man is in his late eighties and is no longer the fastest or most talkative person, but that doesn’t detract from his joie de vivre. On his singing evenings (as in this film) he knows how to enrapture the hearts of the restaurant audience. Godoby knows how to make his songs sound surprisingly well and especially the lyrics. The lyrics invariably describe the libertine existence of a womanizer, enjoying the lazy life and looking for beautiful women.

In itself, the main character is a fascinating figure and he probably has a lot to tell at his old age. However, this does not materialize in the film. The documentary is overshadowed by an excruciatingly slow pace. For example, in the opening scene we see how the silent Godoby gets dressed neatly for his performance in the restaurant. In one shot of five minutes, every action is portrayed. This scene is followed by a shot of between five and ten minutes in which we see Godoby driving. Here too it concerns one shot, taken up close, without interruption. During such moments, you can safely go to the bathroom and come back without missing a single word or even a shot. It is really incomprehensible why director Bernie IJdis has arranged his film in this way. It takes all the blood out of the movie.

The director himself reported that after his earlier films ‘Jalan raya pos’ (‘De Groote Postweg’) and ‘Rivera Hotel’ he wanted to make a film without financial support. He was thus limited in his resources. Furthermore, he has chosen a minimalist style for the documentary; he himself plays no role as the questioner and does not try to steer the events of the evening. That setup has not worked, because too little comes from Godoby himself. (After all, he is also a very elderly man…). The wealth of stories he may have to tell remains untapped. Unfortunate!