A Sunday in Hell1976

Dust in the eyes, mud on the face and bone-crushing cobbles that cause pain with every metre. That’s the 270 km from Paris to Roubaix. The documentary A Sunday in Hell by Danish director Jørgen Leth follows the infamous gruelling race of 1976, in which our undisputed golden generation of Flandriens (Merckx, De Vlaeminck and Maertens) displayed their fighting spirit and stamina.

It all begins even before the start, when mechanics meticulously prepare the bikes and riders shave their legs. The rival teams discuss their tactics whilst dressed in stylish seventies outfits. Motorcycle-mounted cameras, aerial shots and close-ups bring the chaos of the race impressively close to the viewer. All these elements mean that, 50 years on, A Sunday in Hell is perhaps still the finest cycling documentary – and tribute to the victor – ever made.

This screening will be introduced by media scholar Ben De Smet.

Film-Plateau