Filmmaker Johan Grimonprez on ‘Symbolic Acts’ [Video]

Belgian filmmaker Johan Grimonprez, whose “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat” won an award for cinematic innovation at Sundance, mused on the significance of the “symbolic act” during a talk at documentary festival IDFA on Sunday.

Speaking in the art-deco splendor of Amsterdam’s Tuschinski movie theater, Grimonprez started with an extract from his film “Shadow World,” which investigated the arms trade. First, he showed a clip in which Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi threw his shoes at George W. Bush during a press conference as a protest against the U.S. occupation of his country. Then there was an interview in which al-Zaidi explained what drove him to do this, and the price he paid (he was waterboarded, electrocuted and had his front teeth knocked out).

Grimonprez, who is the Guest of Honor at IDFA, observed that “images are screaming out at you” in today’s world. It’s like standing in Times Square, he said. He …