Opening with the events surrounding the Reichstag Fire in Berlin in 1933—marking the advent of Nazism—this evocative documentary centres on the pioneering German-Jewish sound recordist, Ludwig Koch. The film is structured in two parts: contrasting Koch’s persecution in Nazi Germany with his experiences in forced exile where, isolated from human contact, he spends his days recording bird song and other sounds of the British countryside. Part political report, part poetic memoir interwoven with a serene meditation on nature, the film’s cinematographic approach moves beyond mere biography, offering a more immersive exploration of events. In their fourth feature film, Anthea Kennedy and Ian Wiblin continue to delve into the sensory memory of this tragic era through masterful editing of juxtaposed spaces, incorporating elements of suspense from Expressionist cinema. The result is a curious collision of styles, suggesting perhaps the only way to truly understand the past is: by listening.