De Platte Jungle

In their brightly colored raincoats and high rubber boots, fishermen, lugworm diggers, and farmers work on and around the Wadden tidal mudflats in the Netherlands. This rich “flat jungle” teems with life both above and below the waterline—and yet this 1978 documentary already reveals the human impact on the natural world, with modernization, industrialization, and the relentless growth of human activity increasingly disrupting plant and animal life on the Wadden wetlands.

Van der Keuken captures this shift on film, highlighting the chaotic, ever-changing character of the Wadden landscape. A poetic journey unfolds in the north of the Netherlands, where enterprising farmers praise artificial fertilizer, even as more and more plant and animal species gradually disappear. The soundtrack featuring the free jazz of Willem Breuker intensifies the film’s unique mood.

The Flat Jungle weaves these elements into a timeless story about the complex relationship between humans and nature. Refusing to shy away from confrontation, Van der Keuken takes a bold, critical stance, illuminating environmental issues that remain as urgent today as ever.