The River Used to be a Man (Der Fluss War Einst Ein Mensch)

Jan Zabeil’s highly original and atmospheric debut feature is an otherworldly survival tale exploring divergent European and African sensibilities. A young German actor is travelling in an unnamed African country. He meets an old fisherman near a river, who takes him deep into the wilderness in his wooden boat. He wakes up to find his guide has died in the night with the awful realisation that he is alone and lost in the vast African landscape. Using sparse and eyecatching cinematography and a music-free soundtrack, the film zones in on an intense central performance by the film’s co-writer Alexander Fehling to extraordinary effect.

Director, Jan Zabeil is attending the screening on Saturday 5th November at 7pm in Hyde Park Picture House.