Caught in the Rain
Brussels-based filmmakers Elie Maissin and Mieriën Coppens often collaborate with the collective La Voix des Sans Papiers. In doing so, the duo gives a voice to those without documents. Their understated film language evokes diverse ways of communicating: in different spoken languages, with the silent language of the body, with an environment.
In Caught in the Rain, this results in a hushed house clos in an abandoned house still under construction. One of the workers recounts the month-long incarceration he has just endured. His personal story is simultaneously that of his colleagues: constantly on guard, ready to leave for shelter if needed.
A collection of Maissin and Coppens’ short films will be shown during the Contour Biennial of Moving Images—still until 5 November 2023 at various locations in Antwerp, Mechelen, and Bruges. The documentaries stand alone but are also part of a growing series and testify to a passionate vision and a secure, socially engaged working method.