SXSW Fave – Jarred Alterman’s Documentary : Convento

Filmmaker Jarred Alterman, takes you inside the phantasmagoric world of a family of artists, holed up in a centuries-old monastery in southeastern Portugal in CONVENTO;  a SXSW, Edinburgh, and Rooftop Films documentary fave.

Prima ballerina Geraldine, photographer Kees, and their two boys Christiaan and Louis left Holland in 1980 to take up residence at the Convento São Francisco de Mértola. Strategically situated at the convergence of two rivers in southeastern Portugal, this vacant monastery was left decaying for centuries until the Zwanikken family transformed it with their eccentric and earthy endeavors. In the airy studio converted from the estate’s chapel, Christiaan builds kinetic sculptures from discarded electronics and the skulls and bones of deceased wildlife. Combining the family’s home movies with his own observant photography, Alterman artfully casts these fantastical creatures as supporting characters as they literally move across the landscape, animating the ancient grounds.

Be sure to check out convento.tumblr.com for up coming screenings and check out christiaanzwanikken.wordpress.com for more information about the artist and upcoming exhibitions