Sylvia, March 1, 2001 Hollywood Hills

Manon de Boer confronted Sylvia Kristel with a camera, as if she needed to do a screen test, to see how her face ‘translates’ itself into a film image. Only this actress was already discovered some thirty years ago by a photographer. Screen tests usually remain private documents; the public never gets to see them. A neutral camera is the only thing being addressed. De Boer twice shot a nearly identical take. Both are being projected consecutively in a loop. In the film programme of ‘Screen Tests’, we can also watch Sylvia Kristel – Paris (2003), in which the actress recounts the early days of her career in Paris. How well can we really get to know somebody? For Manon de Boer, a portrait is never finished – it always remains in progress.