Werner Herzog is absolutely one of the greatest - if not the greatest - documentary filmmaker(s) of all time (and he's arguably just as great a filmmaker when it comes to non-documentaries too).
This is truly one of the best documentaries I've seen from him so far. It tells the story of a woman in her 50s named Fini Straubinger, who for 40-something years has been both blind and deaf.
We learn of her past and see how she lives in a world that's almost exclusively designed for people with all five of their senses. Through her, we meet a number of other people of various ages and lifestyles who must also live without their sense of sight and hearing.
Herzog's approach to the subject is very empathetic. It never feels exploitative or like some kind of cruel "freak show"- you get the sense he wants to understand how the people who live like this think and feel, how they can (or can't) communicate with each other and the others around them, and how they experience the parts of life that they can. It's an approach that is both informative for a viewer and also quite moving.
Straubinger is a strong central figure forty ground the documentary, and her determination to live life the best she can and help those around her with similar conditions to her is admirable.
It all adds up to a really good - borderline great - documentary that is one of Herzog's best, and a very engaging and emotional experience that will stick with me.
This is truly one of the best documentaries I've seen from him so far. It tells the story of a woman in her 50s named Fini Straubinger, who for 40-something years has been both blind and deaf.
We learn of her past and see how she lives in a world that's almost exclusively designed for people with all five of their senses. Through her, we meet a number of other people of various ages and lifestyles who must also live without their sense of sight and hearing.
Herzog's approach to the subject is very empathetic. It never feels exploitative or like some kind of cruel "freak show"- you get the sense he wants to understand how the people who live like this think and feel, how they can (or can't) communicate with each other and the others around them, and how they experience the parts of life that they can. It's an approach that is both informative for a viewer and also quite moving.
Straubinger is a strong central figure forty ground the documentary, and her determination to live life the best she can and help those around her with similar conditions to her is admirable.
It all adds up to a really good - borderline great - documentary that is one of Herzog's best, and a very engaging and emotional experience that will stick with me.