A Symphony of Noise

A SYMPHONY OF NOISE takes viewers on a thrilling journey into the mind, sounds, and sonic universe of audio documentarian Matthew Herbert. Over a period of ten years, director Enrique Sánchez Lansch has followed Herbert through his creative process—capturing the conception, recording, and performance of his most ambitious and diverse projects.

Herbert’s guiding belief is that careful, attentive listening can profoundly transform the world, making it fairer, richer, and more humane. The film invites audiences to experience this perspective firsthand. We venture into the forest with Herbert, listening to the voice of a tree as it is felled. We join rehearsals with his “Brexit Big Band,” formed as a musical response to and commentary on Brexit. We follow a swimmer on her arduous journey across the English Channel. And we witness Herbert transforming the life of a pig—from birth to slaughter and processing—into music.

By the end of the film, audiences are left with a renewed sense of sound: the world is heard anew, with fresh ears and a deeper awareness of the music embedded in life itself.

Awards

2021 German Film Award
Lola for Best Sound Design: Pascal Capitolin, Richard Borowski
Nominated for Best Editing: Andrew Bird

World Premiere

CPH:DOX 2021, Copenhagen, Denmark

Germany Premiere

DOK.fest Munich International Documentary Film Festival 2021