IDFA x De Balie: Holy Destructors

While humans try to prevent matter from decaying, microfungi remind us that everything must perish in order to continue to exist. This conceptually designed film tells a story of transformation with religion as its backdrop and fungi as its metaphor.

Microfungi existed millions of years before us and will probably outlive us. While humanity tries to stop time by preventing matter from decaying, these biodestructors remind us that everything must perish in order to continue to exist in a new form.

This striking film essay has a clear visual and conceptual approach, but goes beyond the abstract. Alongside stunning macroscopic footage of growing fungal cultures, our attachment to tangible memories is expressed in efforts to preserve art objects, relics, and the bodies of deceased bisshops from decay. Humorous exchanges among art conservators at work, and the devotion of believers viewing a restored painting of the Virgin Mary offer reflections on our urge to preserve things at all costs.

The film tells a story of transformation using fungi as a metaphor. First, they devour our objects, then they devour us. And this is inevitable. Yet under the microscope, there is a glimmer of hope: the unstoppable growth of fungus is ultimately a sublime victory over death.

De Balie has selected six of the best films featured at IDFA. Documentaries on a wide range of subjects, taking you from the intimacy of the therapy room to the microscopic world of fungi. Despite their diversity, these films share a common thread: they are auteur-driven works, created with a distinct artistic vision. Films that use the camera as a tool of expression, rather than mere registration. Join us after each screening for a conversation hosted by De Balie, with filmmakers and notable guests.