“And Vincent saw the corn, And Einstein the number, And Zeppelin the Zeppelin, And Johan the ball.”
Pele belongs to Brazil, Platini to France, Charlton to England, Maldini to Italy, Beckenbauer to Germany, Maradona is inseparable with the Argentineans, and Cruyff with the Netherlands, Amsterdam and Barcelona…
Yesterday Documentary filmmaker Ramon Gieling reflected on the meaning of Johan Cruyff and Catalonia. Go here for the brilliant item of Nieuwsuur.
In 2004 Dutch Filmmaker Ramón Gieling made a truly remarkable, moving cult-film about the Dutch footballer Johan Cruijff: “ En un momento dado.”
Johan Cruijff’s international fame as a football player is still vividly tangible among the inhabitants of Barcelona, the city where ‘number 14’ lives himself nowadays and where he has played many matches.
Stemming from an example Cruijff’s inimitable idiom el momento dado (a litteral translation of a Dutch saying that didn’t exist in the Spanish language before) thirteen people from Barcelona tell director Ramón Gieling (Buñuel’s Prisoners) about the moment Cruijff has given them. Those special moments, in which he surprised them, made them angry or made them mad of enthusiasm.
A film about the search for Catalan identity and independence through the past decades and the important role both Cruijff plays, being almost a saint for the Catalans by working his miracles. Finally, Johan Cruijff himself will take the floor…
This Sunday March 26th NPO2 “En un momento dado” will air the doc. on 22:15CET at NPO2. One-to-watch.
Or watch the full doc. on Youtube with english subs.
MORE
- AFC Ajax presents Johan Cruyff: Forever number 14 (14min small doc).
- This musical video produced by FC Barcelona recalls the best moments of the Flying Dutchman’s career at Barça.
- Johan Cruijff is art. VIDEO.
- Kees Prins- Er is een Amsterdammer doodgegaan (saluut voor Cruijff)
- Barça TV – Remember, Boss: Johan Cruyff Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
- Football’s Greatest – Johan Cruyff. Sky Sports documentary.
- Internationaal eerbetoon aan Johan Cruijff.
Photo credit: pvhfilm. Poem above comes from Dutch comedian, singer and writer. Toon Hermans.