Made up with series of drawings and collages, Vanderbeek’s films took him into a much-heralded new creative dimension, and legitimately became a source of inspiration for directors like Terry Gilliam. Practically entirely handmade (which is fairly impressive for those who like me are the clumsiness incarnate) truly mesmerizing and a bit melancolic, Vanderbeek’s visionary works challenged the very idea of filmmaking and production. His countless collaborations (notably with the artist Claes Oldenburg or the choreographer Merce Cunningham) command respect. Touched by grace, he initiated a turning point in the history of visual arts as he was also among the firsts to team up with engineers in order to produce computer-generated images.