Film-Plateau: A Sunday in Hell (1976)

Dust in the eyes, mud on the face, and bone-breaking cobbles that make every single meter hurt. That is the 270 km from Paris to Roubaix. The documentary A Sunday in Hell by Danish director Jørgen Leth follows the notorious test of endurance of 1976 in which our indisputable golden generation of Flandriens (Merckx, De Vlaeminck, and Maertens) display their fighting spirit and stamina. Everything begins even before the start, when mechanics meticulously prepare the bikes and riders shave their legs. The rivaling teams discuss their tactics in stylish seventies outfits. Motorcycle cameras, aerial footage, and close-ups bring the chaos of the race impressively close. All these ingredients make A Sunday in Hell 50 years later perhaps still the most beautiful cycling documentary—and homage to the victor—ever made. This screening will be introduced by media scholar Ben De Smet. in collaboration with Film-Plateau