You are here:

Glass

Name: Glass
Director: Bert Haanstra
Released: 1958
Duration: 10 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1958

Director

Bert Haanstra

Runtime

10 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Bert Haanstra’s documentary is a cinematic study of craftsmanship and automation. It prioritizes the rhythmic, mechanical ballet of glass production over social or identity-based narratives. Because the film is a mid-century industrial study, it adheres to the demographic norms of its era. The focus remains strictly on the interaction between human labor and mechanical efficiency within Dutch factories. Ultimately, the work is not designed to engage with identity politics, resulting in a low diversity score that reflects its specific occupational subject matter.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Glass have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses entirely on industrial processes and the materiality of glass. There are no LGBTQ+ characters or narratives addressing identity.

How does Glass portray gender?

Fair

The film highlights the physical labor of artisans through a focus on working hands. It reflects traditional 1958 depictions of the industrial workforce.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Glass?

Minimal

The workers reflect the demographic homogeneity of the 1958 Netherlands. There is no evidence of diverse ethnic representation within the factory settings.

How does Glass represent religion and culture?

Limited

The documentary celebrates Dutch technical mastery and vocational skill. It functions as a celebration of industrial progress rather than a critique of Western institutions.

Does Glass include disability representation?

Minimal

The narrative centers on the dexterity required for glassblowing and machine operation. No depictions of neurodivergence or physical disabilities are present.

Present on Screen

Provides a highly stylized, poetic look at the intersection of human craftsmanship and mechanical automation.
Celebrates the technical mastery and rhythmic beauty of industrial labor and vocational skill.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of diverse identities, reflecting the demographic homogeneity of the 1958 Dutch industrial context.
Does not engage with social representation or the subversion of traditional gender and racial hierarchies.

Official Synopsis

This short documentary, shot in the glass factories of Leerdam and Schiedam, demonstrates how glass blowers do their work. But thanks to the superbly edited ballet of working hands and the sequence of mechanical motions of the engines, is it especially a cinematic tour de force. That the industry can’t do without man’s involvement is shown in the scene where we hear the voice of Haanstra himself counting the bottles on the conveyor belt, until one bottle breaks…

How are these scores produced? →