‘My subject is war and the pity of war, The poetry is in the pity, All a poet can do today is warn.' Wilfred Owen, from the Preface to his Poems, inscribed by Britten at the head of the score of War Requiem. Filmed over 12 months, with unprecedented access, this landmark film follows the English National Opera as they pursue the challenge of staging Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. One of the greatest British choral works of the 20th Century, War Requiem is seen by many as a true masterpiece. The ENO are the first company to transform the work into a dramatised performance. Artistic Director Daniel Kramer engaged a team drawn from across the world including the Turner Prize-winning artist Wolfgang Tillmans: ‘By keeping War Requiem alive and relevant today, we will be able to remember the sense of urgency that people in the post war generation felt, a sense of never again.’ For Britten, writing a piece for the re-consecration of Coventry Cathedral was the opportunity he had been waiting for. The original building was destroyed during World War II. He wanted to create a powerful statement against the horrors of war, a piece that inspired reconciliation. The result was an emotionally charged piece that requires three soloists, a large choir, a children’s choir, a large orchestra, two organs as well as a chamber orchestra. Juxtaposing the traditional Latin Requiem Mass with the World War I poet Wilfred Owen’s powerful anti-war poetry, the overall effect is a powerful emotional journey. The destruction of war is no less a significant theme now than when War Requiem was first performed. Daniel Kramer’s ambition in creating a staged version of the music was fostered by a belief that he could amplify Britten’s original intentions. The film begins where the music itself was born – in Coventry. Wolfgang and Daniel explore the ruins of the old Coventry Cathedral before moving into the vast echoing space of the new cathedral. It is a