Synopsis
Photographer Gerard Petrus Fieret treated his photos, most of which he took in the 1960s, in a way that would horrify other photographers or collectors. He was careless with chemicals, piled wet photos on top of one another so they stuck together, and stamped his name in critical places. In this portrait, director Frank van den Engel goes looking for the world hidden behind this exceptional and eccentric talent. He interviews colleagues, former models, and collectors, and visits the photographer in his completely neglected, decrepit house. Fieret comes across as a somewhat confused and distrustful old man with a wild beard, and at first glance you might dismiss him as a hobo for whom life has come to mean very little. But gradually, a tragic and fascinating story unfolds of an artist who went unappreciated until it was too late. He once sold his work for 100 euros per photo, but nowadays American collectors shell out thousands of dollars for a "Fieret." Meanwhile, Fieret bids life farewell and a handful of Dutch enthusiasts try to rescue negatives and photos from his disastrous house. Fieret died in January of this year.