The Art of Stasis: Nicolaas Schmidt’s ‘September Afternoon’ Set for Locarno Premiere

Main Facts: A New Vision in Contemporary Cinema

In an era defined by the frantic, rapid-fire consumption of digital media, the international sales agency Kino Rebelde has announced a bold acquisition: Nicolaas Schmidt’s latest work, September Afternoon. The film, which is set to hold its world premiere in the prestigious Cineasti del Presente (Filmmakers of the Present) competition at the Locarno Film Festival, promises to be a challenging and meditative experience that stands in stark opposition to the frenetic pace of modern life.

September Afternoon is a poignant exploration of the fragility of human connection and the quiet desperation of contemporary life. The narrative follows a couple who, refusing to acknowledge the inevitable shift of seasons, attempt to hold onto the vestiges of summer. As they retreat to the coast for two final afternoons nestled between sand dunes and the sea, the film evolves from a romantic idyll into a meditation on resignation.

The production, spearheaded by Amerikafilm and supported by MOIN Filmförderung and the FFA, serves as a testament to Schmidt’s growing reputation as a filmmaker who prioritizes atmosphere, temporal distortion, and deep, psychological observation over traditional narrative arcs.

The Narrative Landscape: A Struggle Against the Elements

At the heart of September Afternoon lies a relatable, yet increasingly futile, human endeavor: the denial of time. The film’s protagonists arrive at the coast long after the warmth of summer has faded. The scenery is marked by the biting chill of an autumnal wind, rendering their light clothing—sandals and shorts—wholly inappropriate for the environment.

The journey to the beach serves as a bridge between their internal states and the external reality, including a chance, uncomfortable encounter with an acquaintance. Upon reaching the dunes, the couple’s mission becomes clear: they seek a shelter that does not exist. Their subsequent actions—the construction of a small dam to stave off the encroaching tide and the desperate, failed attempt to erect a windbreak—serve as metaphors for their relationship. These acts of defiance against the natural elements are not merely physical; they are the external manifestations of a couple grappling with the "disaster of an entirely different magnitude" that underlies their intimacy.

Chronology: Schmidt’s Ascent to the Locarno Stage

Nicolaas Schmidt is no stranger to the Locarno Film Festival, nor to the accolades of the international festival circuit. His career has been marked by a consistent interrogation of time and perception.

• 2017: Schmidt garnered significant critical attention with Final Stage [The Time for All but Sunset — Bgyor]. The film premiered at the 67th Berlinale, where it took home a Special Jury Award. It subsequently secured the First Steps Award from the German Film Academy and the German Film Critics Award (VDFK) for Best Short Film.
• 2020: His work Inflorescence continued his exploration of form, premiering at Berlinale Shorts and securing a place at the renowned Vienna Shorts festival.
• 2021: Schmidt returned to Locarno with First Time [The Time for All but Sunset — Violet]. The film’s critical success was marked by a Pardi di Domani Special Mention at Locarno, a Special Award at the German Short Film Awards, and Best Film titles at the Festival dei Popoli, Black Canvas Film Festival, and Sicilia Queer.
• 2024: His most recent short, Like Horses Standing in the Rain, premiered at the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, earning yet another Special Mention.
• The Future: Following the premiere of September Afternoon, Schmidt is set to pivot toward a new creative endeavor. He is slated to begin production on his upcoming feature film, Something New Has Begun, which he will co-direct with Anne Döring early next year.

Official Responses: Defining the "Cinema of Doze"

The acquisition of September Afternoon by Kino Rebelde signifies a strategic alignment between the distributor’s experimental ethos and Schmidt’s distinct aesthetic.

María Vera, the head of Kino Rebelde, spoke glowingly of the film’s disruptive potential. "In a world where attention spans shrink to the rhythm of a TikTok video, I find no more fascinating provocation than the freedom of this film," Vera stated. "The director opens a door to the power of simplicity, and he does so with a critical spirit, delicate humor, and brilliant sensitivity, convinced from beginning to end of our need to unlearn in order to rebuild."

This sentiment is echoed by the film’s producer, Maxi Haslberger of Amerikafilm, who highlights the technical and philosophical underpinnings of the project. "Nicolaas Schmidt’s work strikes us as unique with his combination of long shoots and loops," Haslberger remarked. "We are looking forward to sharing this unique ‘cinema of doze’ experience with the audience. It’s rather when the attention is allowed to drift that we become more receptive to what cannot be perceived in other ways."

This "cinema of doze" concept is perhaps the most defining characteristic of Schmidt’s body of work. By challenging the viewer to move beyond the desire for constant plot progression, the film asks the audience to inhabit a space of reflection, allowing the subconscious to engage with the film’s visual and auditory textures.

Implications: The Shift Toward Slow Cinema

The arrival of September Afternoon at the Cineasti del Presente competition is a significant moment for contemporary independent cinema. It highlights a growing movement among European directors to move away from the hyper-stimulated editing styles that currently dominate mainstream and even mid-tier indie cinema.

The Rejection of Efficiency

Schmidt’s work posits that "efficiency" is the enemy of intimacy. By forcing his characters to engage in repetitive, futile, and long-duration tasks—such as building a dam against the tide—he strips away the pretenses of a conventional drama. The audience is not asked to follow a plot, but rather to exist within the temporal space the couple occupies.

The Role of Festivals

The Locarno Film Festival has long served as a bastion for this type of auteur-driven, experimental work. By selecting September Afternoon, the festival reinforces its commitment to films that push the boundaries of cinematic language. For a director like Schmidt, whose work has consistently garnered "Special Mentions" and "Jury Awards," this premiere is an essential step in transitioning from a celebrated shorts director to a major force in independent feature filmmaking.

Reimagining the Viewer

The implications for the audience are equally profound. The "cinema of doze" suggests that the viewer is a participant in the creative act. If the film demands a drifting attention, it effectively asks the audience to abandon the critical, analytical mind in favor of a sensory, empathetic response. This is a tall order in an age of distractions, but for the viewers who embrace it, the payoff is a deeper, more visceral connection to the screen.

Conclusion: A Provocative Path Forward

As Nicolaas Schmidt prepares to bring September Afternoon to the international stage at Locarno, the industry is watching with anticipation. Whether the "cinema of doze" will find a wider audience remains to be seen, but the film’s pedigree—and the enthusiasm of those backing it—suggests that it will be one of the most discussed entries in the competition.

By blending the mundane with the existential, and the ephemeral with the eternal, Schmidt continues to craft a body of work that is as rigorous as it is sensitive. September Afternoon is not merely a film about a couple at the beach; it is a film about the nature of our attention, the weight of our memories, and the beauty of the things we try—and fail—to keep. As we look toward his future projects, one thing is certain: Nicolaas Schmidt will continue to insist that we slow down, look closer, and perhaps, for a moment, simply let ourselves drift.