Lech Majewski – The World According to Bruegel (2011)

Directed by: Dagmara Drzazga | 45 minutes | documentary

The film ‘The Mill and the Cross’ is a story about one of Bruegel’s best-known works The Carrying of the Cross (1564), with which Majewski has climbed into the canvas, as it were, in order to convey the meaning to the viewer from within. The film is reminiscent of a television art program in which a painting is treated and the camera glides across the canvas in extreme close-up, from scene to scene, accompanied by the explanatory voice of an art historian. Majewski then went one step further and replaced the painted figures with actors, digitized the background and placed it on a real landscape for the actors to walk around in. The result of Majewski’s efforts is a visually very impressive film in which the viewer imagines himself in Bruegel’s artwork.

As mentioned, the film itself somewhat resembles an art program, also in the sense that it is quite informative in the few moments that are spoken, with the result that we are left with few questions. Fortunately, because this ‘The Making of The Mill and the Cross’ gives us a look behind the scenes in 45 minutes, touches on everything again, but rarely goes into depth. ‘Lech Majewski – The World According to Bruegel’ follows a well-established path: from the genesis of the idea for the film to an explanation of the subject. Subsequently, a number of crew members and actors are allowed to reflect on their director, who is strict but fair and of course extremely talented.

Striking scenes are also highlighted, such as that of the impressive windmill high atop an impossible spot on top of a rock. The rock itself is hollow inside and forms the miller’s residence with a terrifying staircase that runs steeply up the rock face. Unfortunately, the making of does not tell you how this visual feat is put together.

So it’s a pity that the technique – or “electronic alchemy”, as Majewski calls it – that this film has to rely on, is barely covered in this making of. For example, we see Majewski sitting behind a PC and are told that the landscape is composed of landscape elements from different countries and that the clouds come from New Zealand. These kinds of details could have been more in it, but instead, after all, the protagonists can still do their bit. Rutger Hauer, for example, who is fortunately more valued in Europe than in Hollywood, is clear that he can work with Majewski. “Blessed” that is, and he really means it, despite the fact that putting feathers in the director’s behind is part of the standard recipe of a making of.
With all this, ‘Lech Majewski – The World According to Bruegel’ is ultimately more of a nice promotional film than a really valuable addition to the DVD edition.