Antwerpen Centraal (2011)

ANTWERP CENTRAL takes the viewer on a journey through the physical and mental space of Antwerp's railway cathedral, from its construction to the present day. Drawing inspiration from the book "Austerlitz" by W.G. Sebald, screenwriter/director Peter Krüger approaches Antwerp Central Railway Station as a magical realistic location where present and past, history and daily life, fiction and reality are in constant flux. Running as a thread through the film are the dreams and reminiscences of a traveler, played by Johan Leysen, who arrives at Antwerp Central and through whose eyes we observe the station. He draws our attention not only to the striking architecture and historical context of the building, but also to its hidden and mysterious aspects. A peacock spreads its wings; time stands still; a lion roams the grand waiting hall; an old steam loc enters the station; a choir performs on the monumental staircase leading to the platforms - Reality turns to dream and vice versa. But what is reality? And what is dream? Is time not more than the transformation of space?