Shorts Block 3 - Wild Frequencies

Packed with films that turn traditional storytelling on its head, these films showcase playful and innovative ways to approach nature tales.

Sierras
Dir. Matthew Wilbur (US)

Shot on 16mm film, this experimental documentary explores the landscapes and ecology of Yellowstone National Park as the ecosystem transitions from fall to winter.


Tuktuit: Caribou
Dir. Lindsay McIntyre (Canada)

An exploration of the close and enduring connections between Inuit, caribou, lichens, and land use. An experimental handmade caribou gelatin emulsion reveals the land where caribou struggle to survive burn events and habitat disruption.


Black Tide
Dir. Kim Yip Tong (France)

On July 25, 2020, the bulk carrier MV Wakashio ran aground on the reef on the eastern coast of Mauritius. 12 days later, oil began to spill, causing the worst ecological disaster ever to occur in the region.


Underground Sound
Dir. Somes Huwiler (UK, US)

Under his stage name Auntie Flo, DJ Brian d’Souza learned to create innovative soundscapes out of the subtle vibrations of living plants and fungi. His musical exploration highlights the living ecosystem that exists all around us, urging us to see nature as a living collaborator in the symphony of existence. Beyond the stage, his music promotes mental healing and environmental conservation, encouraging listeners to engage with nature in a new way.


The Shining Tapestry
Dir. Kai Harlow (Belgium, Hungary, Portugal)
Sponsored by First Security Bank

Watched by thousands through a nest cam, a family of owls lives under the constant gaze of an online audience. The camera promises unprecedented intimacy with the wild, yet this proximity is mediated entirely through screens. As nature resists the expectations of its spectators, the film questions what it means to encounter the wild in the age of constant streaming, and the deeper paradigm of control that underlies our interventions within it.


Rock Pool
Dir. Soup Audiovisual Collective (UK)

From murky kelp forests to scallop burial grounds and a UV lit cosmic expanse, Rock Pool’s non-narrative flow draws its audience through the circadian cycles that turn the worlds beneath our feet. As commonplace as they are alien, these cauldrons of primordial wonder are animated by an innovative experimental soundscape and seamless, layered montage.


Q&A with Sierras director Matthew Wilbur to follow the screening!