The View From on High

AWAKE!(en)

AWAKE is a short experimental documentary about a liminal moment in the calendar - midwinter - observed by the inhabitants of a small rural village in England. A time outside time, magic is everywhere and anything is possible. Bearing witness to this turning point, the inhabitants gather for a wassail - a centuries old thanksgiving ritual in which folk gather to honour the slow return of the sun and bless the apple trees whose fruit are essential to the village ecosystem, not least the crumbles, juice and cider that sustains them throughout the year.

Tears in the Amazon(ko)

A documentary about environment destruction in the Amazon and the tribes living there. Produced for the 48th anniversary of MBC, Korea. A brilliant records of the itinerary for 250 days through the Amazon.

78 days: A Tree Planting Documentary(en)

Tree planting is one of the most physically and mentally demanding jobs in Canada. Working long days in the baking sun of desolate clear cuts, you can expect rain storms and snow covered tents: that's tree planting in Northern Alberta. In this documentary, veteran planters share their experiences as they struggle through each day of what has become the longest and most difficult season ever!

The Shape of Cedar(en)

A portrait exploring the enduring craft of wood canvas canoe building, and the quiet philosophy it inspires. "The Shape of Cedar" is both a celebration of craftsmanship, and and a guide to a more intentional way of moving through the world.

Africa Unbottled(en)

Hosted by Val Kilmer, the documentary follows playwright Nicholas Ellenbogen as he travels to remote communities in six different African countries. In each community, the residents have taken an holistic and somewhat controversial approach to managed wildlife care.

Being Caribou(en)

Wildlife biologist Karsten Heuer and his wife, environmentalist Leanne Allison follow a herd of 120,000 caribou on foot across 1500 km of Arctic tundra, hoping to raise awareness of the threats to the caribou's survival. Along this journey, they brave torrid conditions, dangerous wildlife and treacherous terrain all in the hopes of learning the truth about this epic migration.

Groenkijkers(nl)

The Commandant's Shadow(en)

While Hans Jurgen Höss enjoyed a happy childhood in the family villa at Auschwitz, Jewish prisoner Anita Lasker-Wallfisch was trying to survive the notorious concentration camp. At the heart of this film is the historic and inspiring moment – eight decades later – when the two come face-to-face. This is the first time the descendant of a major war criminal meets a survivor in such a private and intimate setting, Anita’s London living room. Together with their children, Kai Höss and Maya Lasker-Wallfisch, the four protagonists explore their very different hereditary burdens.

Passing Clouds(en)

In rural Scotland, a flock of sheep is sheared to survive the summer while a shepherd finds protection during the winter thanks to the wool. Are the clouds above them simply witnessing the process or do they actually take part in it? Shot on Super 8 with its characteristic unexpected light leaks, Passing Clouds explores a different possibility to the birth of clouds. Throughout the film, the sheep, the shepherd and his dogs guide us towards understanding the mystery of this mythical cycle based on what happens once a fleece is no longer attached to a sheep's body.

A Journey(es)

A cinematic journey through the world. Non-verbal.

Fog on the Mountain(en)

Fog surrounds the peak of a mountain as summer wildflowers bloom.

Tide Pools(en)

The sun rises over the tide pools of coastal Maine.

Early Spring Wetlands(en)

Wildlife in an early spring wetland.

A Flower(en)

Somewhere between the mountains and valleys a small autumn flower bloomed.

Winter Light(en)

Sunlight in a winter forest.

The Noise of Time(es)

In the town of Xoco, the spirit of an old villager awakens in search of its lost home. Along its journey, the ghost discovers that the town still celebrates its most important festivities, but also learns that the construction of a new commercial complex called Mítikah will threaten the existence of both the traditions and the town itself.

Fortunes is our family name(en)

Fortunes is our family name is a short documentary showcasing the heritage and tradition of a dying craft, emphasising the importance of keeping these historic processes and their proprietors alive and in business. We capture the daily life of Barry Brown and touch upon the history of Fortunes Kippers in Whitby.

Why Dinosaurs?(en)

A dinosaur-obsessed teen and his filmmaker father travel the world interviewing paleontologists about the latest discoveries, tracking down the crew of Jurassic Park, digging up 150-million-year-old bones, and meeting dino fanatics of all walks of life.

The Endurance(en)

Documentary on the Shackleton Antartic expedition. A retelling of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated expedition to Antarctica in and the crew of his vessel 'The Endurance', which was trapped in the ice floes and frigid open ocean of the Antarctic in 1914. Shackleton decided, with many of his crew injured and weak from exposure and starvation, to take a team of his fittest men and attempt to find help. Setting out in appalling conditions with hopelessly inadequate equipment, they endured all weather and terrain and finally reached safety. Persuading a local team of his confidence that the abandoned team would still be alive, he set out again to find them. After almost 2 years trapped on the ice, all members of the crew were finally rescued.

Pica Pica(en)

In Pica Pica Kristersson invites the viewer to be enthralled for an hour and a half by the vicissitudes of magpie life. Opposing himself to the current nature films that tend to highly compress time in order to end up with a concentrated sequence of action-elements Kristersson leaves rhythm and tempo almost completely up to the magpies themselves. With great integrity he filmed the daily, social and emotional life of a species of birds that has many points of contact with human life. Thus, the movie offers us the oppurtunity to view our own everyday existence through other eyes, from a world right above our heads, but yet so far away.