Published: 25 November, 2010
by DAN CARRIER

PATRICK Keiller has a career that is as broad as the subject matter his strange, haunting films take aim at. An architect who trained at the Bartlett, an academic, lecturer, writer, photographer and film-maker, he has made three films that bear comparison to the wonderful, haunting literature of WG Sebald – his Emigres book is a super piece of work.

His latest film, Robinson in Ruins, is narrated by Vanessa Redgrave and takes his protagonist on a little tour of southern England, ruminating on the world seen through his eccentric eyes. Robinson, we learn, has recently been released from prison, and is seeing the world about him with new eyes. 

Keiller draws on influences such as Percy Shelley to provide insights on topics including the global credit crunch, the war in Afghanistan, climate change and the enclosure acts of the 16th century.

Now you can quiz Keiller on his work at a special question and answer session at the Renoir Cinema in the Brunswick Centre, Bloomsbury tomorrow (Friday), from 7pm. 

And there is more on the Q & A front: comedy geniuses the Zucker brothers are in town on December 9 to discuss the 30th anniversary of Airplane!, the spoof that spawned a trillion spoofs. The Prince Charles Cinema is screening the film then giving the pair the floor to talk hilarious nonsense about their films, no doubt.