The Late Life

With this documentary, I wanted to show how it is possible to witness the process of ageing from close by. What does it feel like to inhabit an old body while the mind remains clear? I followed the very elderly actor, director and writer Piet Kamerman (1925–2025), who for many years lived a quiet and secluded life in Ireland.

His body may protest, but that does not stop him from passionately playing the piano and singing his self-written songs in a powerful voice. With an open gaze he faces the future, still dreaming of one more role. In front of the camera, Piet is completely in his element as he performs the role of himself — though in the end it turns out to be his final film. Cheerfully, he embraces old age, with his radio, a friend on the telephone, and his three cats as his constant companions.

After filming this documentary, Piet moved to a nursing home in the Netherlands. I visited him a few more times to photograph him.

Director, camera, sound, editing: Jaap van den Beukel, Screenplay, editing: Pascale Korteweg, Music: André Heuvelman