Doors open at 8, screening starts 20.30. THE LAND OF SILENCE AND DARKNESS  1971 (Land des schweigens und der dunkelheit)  Directed by Werner Herzog 81 minutes In German with English subtitles

"Of all my films, this is the one I want to be available to audiences the most"- Werner Herzog

An astonishing and sensual documentary by Werner Herzog that uncovers the world of those who are blind and deaf. This is the first film that would define what Herzog does best: revealing the extraordinary and mind-boggling dimensions of existence that are hidden in our everyday life and not covered by the mass media which is too concerned with what is superficially spectacular. Among all documentary filmmakers, Herzog is perhaps the only one which approaches the magical, especially in his early European period.

This film follows the life of Fini Straubringer, a 56-year old blind and deaf woman who dedicates her life to people who are in the same situation as she is. This film is literally investigating what it means to be human without the senses of sight and hearing. It has a heroic figure in Fini Straubinger, along with a number of other characters who are compellingly mysterious. It is a glimpse into a realm of life that is both abstract and intense, and as a film, it enters that darkness and reaches lyrical heights.

For many this is one of the crucial masterpieces of Herzog's career, but it is also a film which is rarely ever shown in cinemas.

This will be a high-definition screening.