The swan song of Johan van der Keuken, who passed away in January 2001, is the first part of an unfinished feature-length documentary. Images are rhythmically interwoven in rapid succession. When Van der Keuken died at the age of 62 in January 2001, he left behind the incomplete first part of a new feature-length documentary. The second part of the intended triptych was to be filmed in Spain, inspired by the biblical Song of Songs, while the third part was envisioned as an extended kiss staged in a Paris metro.
The nine minutes Van der Keuken left behind are notable for their unique editing, which, according to co-editor Menno Boerema, can be considered three-quarters final. In quick succession, images of friends and acquaintances such as Heddy Honigmann, Walter Salles, and Frans van der Staak are rhythmically edited together. Typically, only a single word or phrase can be heard; Van der Keuken himself described the elements as "the barest word, the smallest cry, a hesitation, a smile, a nervous twitch, a sigh."
