Kyteman – Now What? (2011)

Directed by: Menna Laura Meijer | 87 minutes | documentary

Musician Kyteman appears to have fought his battles mainly against himself in this documentary by Menna Laura Meijer, in which Colin Benders is portrayed in the years following his successful album and tour with the Hiphop Orchestra. Meijer is almost always close with her camera, but does not persevere, while we see Benders searching for new challenges, almost uncompromisingly, and encountering a lot of opposition. Thinking big is hard for many to understand. Earning money is the logical consequence of being successful as a musician, and a relatively easier way, but when the artistic is actually higher – as with Benders – the quest is mainly characterized by the peaks and valleys that seem to be involved in his creativity. Meijer follows him closely as he searches for ways to bring innovative music in rare places and in the meantime tries to found his own studio complex Kytopia, but the director also seems unable to fully penetrate to the essence of the creative musicianship that Benders brings joy and troubles. Several acquaintances of his speak, from his father (and also manager) Erik Benders to friend and rapper PAX, but they too seem to be groping in the dark at times; We don’t get to know what really goes on in Benders’ head.

‘Kyteman – Now What?’ paints a picture more of the world around Kyteman – which is fascinating without a doubt – than of the person himself. The best moments are the images from the musician’s youth and the energetic performances where the audience sees him go wild with the songs of ‘The Hermit Sessions’, a creative excess that also visibly troubles Kyteman in the following years; the second record should be at least as good, but actually better. This continuous striving for more sometimes seems to break up the musician, but it is precisely at moments like these that Meijer gets too little into his soul. The director goes along with the peaks, but eventually stays behind in the valleys, so that the picture of Benders is not complete. Yet the world around this musician – supported by a finely different soundtrack – is so interesting that the documentary is more than entertaining even without the essence of Benders.