The remote West Virginia town of Green Bank is home to the world’s largest radio telescope, able to pick up the murmurings of signals across the universe. In order to achieve this, the telescope resides in the Quiet Zone, the only place in the U.S. where Wi-Fi and cell phone signals are not permitted, creating an environment of unparalleled silence in our contemporary world.

In this contemplative documentary from Kasper Bisgaard and Mikael Lypinski, we chart the lives of residents and scientists who find themselves in this unusual place, raising questions about humanity’s place in the universe and the nature of isolation, such as: does the convenience of wireless connectivity foster a more profound kind of alienation than the self-imposed solitude of the hermit? The End of Quiet is a refreshingly novel take on technology’s role in society, dwelling on the natural beauty nested in the Quiet Zone and the — at times eccentric — voices of those residing in it.—Frédéric Boyer

Kasper Bisgaard and Mikael Lypinski