Land of Silence and Darkness (1971)
"Land des Schweigens und der Dunkelheit" (original title)

Through examining Fini Straubinger, an old woman who has been deaf and blind since adolescence, and her work on behalf of other deaf and blind people, this film shows how the deaf and blind... See full summary »

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog

Stars:

Fini Straubinger, M. Baaske, Elsa Fehrer

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Fini Straubinger	...	Herself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
M. Baaske
Elsa Fehrer	...	Herself
Heinrich Fleischmann
Rolf Illig	...	Narrator (voice)
Vladimir Kokol
Resi Mittermeier	...	Herself

Storyline

Through examining Fini Straubinger, an old woman who has been deaf and blind since adolescence, and her work on behalf of other deaf and blind people, this film shows how the deaf and blind struggle to understand and accept a world from which they are almost wholly isolated.

---

Plot Keywords:

blind | deaf | disabled | human relationship | isolation

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

22 October 2002 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Land of Silence and Darkness

Filming Locations:

Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Referat für Filmgeschichte, Werner Herzog Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Was ich bin sind meine Filme - Teil 2... nach 30 Jahren (2010)

User Reviews

Haunting

Story of Fini Straubinger who is "trapped" in her own body being both deaf and blind. Since the condition came on later in life she is able to speak and tells us what its like. We also watch as she goes around helping those like her. Communication is done via touching or writing on the hands. It becomes clear that the people in the film with this condition are trying to live full lives. An amazing film that shows us what its like not to be able to hear or see. Hopeful and yet unnerving-its not a state one really wants to contemplate having-its an important film since we see the world with a different set of eyes. Taking the matter even further Herzog and his crew also show us what its like for people born deaf and blind and how hard it is for them to even learn the basic things we take for granted. Moving. Haunting. Worth a look since it will make you reflect on how we get along.