Within this modern life and non-stop worldwide communication, it seems that everyday reality, solidarity, peace and quiet have become a rare commodity . \u00a0The technological revolution has made the world so much smaller but so much noisier. \u00a0We are so often advised that we need to take time out, to rest and enjoy the silence..well – particularly \u00a0if you are a city dweller – where are you supposed to find said silence?<\/p>\n
Director Patrick Shens’s new film In Pursuit of Silence<\/strong><\/em> celebrates just that …Silence. \u00a0Starting out with an ode to John Cage\u2019s seminal 1952 composition 4\u201933\u201d, (no instruments are played for 4 minutes 33 seconds) it feels initially eery to most of us because we are so surrounded by noise, even if its just the background streetlights, electronics, airplanes or the ambient everyday hum. But the film does move on to mould together sounds and visuals, building up and then slowing down. A field, a petrol station, a jet plane and even the Lloyd’s building in London (during the 2 minute remembrance day silence) introduce us\u00a0to the idea of hearing the sounds around us, and really hearing the ‘silence’.<\/p>\n This may initially seem more like a straight forward documentary celebration of silence with its spiritual and physical benefits, yet it is so much more. \u00a0Firstly it testifies to the utter wonders all around us replete with their own sounds, ones that nature generously provides. \u00a0Despite the name of it, the film does have a soundtrack, composed by Alex Lu, which creates an antithesis\u00a0to natures regular soundscape.<\/p>\n In Pursuit of Silence<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0additionally allows a road of return. A return to self; after all, if there is nothing to hear, there is much more time to think because noise alienates us from ourselves and provides a diversion from self contemplation. \u00a0Silence is said to have numerous physical health benefits alongside those of the spiritual and mental variety. \u00a0The film that took four years to make ultimately\u00a0studies our relationship with silence and sound, and on how noise impacts our lives<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Patrick Shen is a multiple award-winning filmmaker. \u00a0He made his feature directorial debut in 2005 with the critically-acclaimed Flight from Death<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span>In 2009, Shen premiered his award-winning The Philosopher Kings<\/em>. His third documentary La Source<\/em> premiered at AFI Docs in June 2012, followed by Hypaethral<\/em> in 2015.<\/p>\n