On Closer Inspection

Swamp Dialogues

January 2015 •English

The Danube Delta in Romania - the 'Last European Sanctuary’ - is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While major efforts are made to protect biodiversity, the plight of local communities is largely overlooked. Social scientists claim that the traumatic nature of the swamp bears heavy on the villagers' lives. But is Nature really to blame? Swamp Dialogues is based on an extensive field-research in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. Through a careful ‘argument montage’ built entirely on cinematic language the film represents an anthropological analysis formulated in image and sound.

Cave Crocs of Gabon

January 2018 •English

A caving expedition recently discovered a community of dwarf crocodiles living in the Abanda Caves, Gabon. The crocs are living in pitch darkness, hunt bats and some have bright-orange skin. Part of the original team returns to find out more about this bizarre phenomenon. It's mission impossible to access the crocs world and there's no way of knowing what they might find.

New Zealand 3D: The Forgotten Paradise

November 2013 •English

New Zealand is one of the most remote countries in the world. Owing to the great distance from continents and, as a result of intense volcanic activity, unique flora and fauna as well as extraordinary landscapes have developed in this island country. The settlement of humans over the centuries has naturally also had an influence on the landscape. This film is an invitation to travel across the diverse landscapes of New Zealand.

Don't

January 1975 •English

The lyric passage of a Monarch butterfly, beginning with its birth, through its delicate metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly and on its journey from country to city. From the first frame, the audience experiences the tension of this perilous flight as numerous adversaries, threaten the butterfly's freedom. A lively sound track, with music composed by Frederic Chopin, allows us to live for a few moments in this fleeting world.

The End of the Game

November 1976 •

An intimate view of the panorama of African wildlife, giving a sense of what it is really like to be there, and in a dramatic climax makes a poignant plea for conservation. Filmed in Zaire, Kenya and Tanzania, the film takes the viewer from deep inside an anthill, to the majestic giraffes suckling their young. African storms, dung beetle ritual dances, duels for supremacy, feeding time, and playtime all end as the animals disappear one by one while the sound of a rifle shatters the existing magic of life. Winner of the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject, 1976.

The World According to Tippi

January 1997 •French

Tippi is no ordinary child. She believes that she has the gift of talking to animals and that they are like brothers to her. 'I speak to them with my mind, or through my eyes, my heart or my soul, and I see that they understand and answer me.' Tippi is the daughter of French filmmakers and wildlife photographers, Alain Degre and Sylvie Robert, who have captured her on film with some of Africa's most beautiful and dangerous animals. Tippi shares her thoughts and wisdom on Africa, its people and the animals she has come to know and love. Often her wisdom is beyond her years, and her innocence and obvious rapport with the animals is both fascinating and charming.

Snow Bears

December 2017 •English

The enchanting true-to-life tale of polar bear cubs and their mother on a 400-mile journey from their birth den in Svalbard to the pack ice surrounding the North Pole.

Nightlife

October 1976 •English

Documentary depicting the science-fiction shapes and colors of life in the cold seas of Ireland. Nominated for the Academy Award, Best Live Action Short Film, for 1977.

Earth Overhaul

August 2011 •English

A group of scientists are thinking outside the box for ways to reverse the effects of global warming. And who better to save the earth than National Geographic Channel's host of the World's Toughest Fixes, Sean Riley? He'll join these experts in the labs and in the field to see what wacky new technologies are being developed, like sending mirrors into space and reducing the greenhouse emissions chickens produce.

The World's Biggest Cave

November 2009 •English

In 2009 a team of British cavers went on an expedition deep within the jungle of central Vietnam. To their amazement they discovered an enormous cave which they believe to be the biggest in the world. The team, the first humans ever to enter the cave, traveled 6 kilometers underground until their way was blocked by a gigantic rock face they dubbed 'The Great Wall of Vietnam'. Now they have returned, but this time with the right equipment to climb the wall and with a geologist and zoologist to discover if this is indeed the Biggest Cave in the World and what secrets lie deep within?

Umnak - Aleutian Islands

October 2021 •English

Explorers and amateur directors Mariana Ianovska and Viktor Posnov embark on a 40 day long trip across Umnak Island.

Off the Beaten Path

January 2024 •English

In this immersive documentary, Winston Stairs invites the audience on a soul-soothing expedition into the world of hiking. Winston’s adventurous spirit guides the viewer through the forests of Ontario, sharing in the enchanting beauty of nature. Through breathtaking landscapes and personal reflections, the film captures Winston's profound love for hiking as more than a mere pastime—it becomes a transformative experience that welcomes self-discovery and a strong relationship with our environment. Join Winston on this inspirational trek, where every step reflects the joys of exploring and the tranquil side of our planet.

Pinnacles

August 2022 •

Resulting from an ancient volcanic eruption, revered as sacred by the Chalun and Matsun Native American Tribes as the home of the Firebird/Thunderbird (California Condor) a supernatural being of power and strength. Pinnacles represents transcendent moments, spiritual guidance and forging new timelines within interpersonal landscapes.

Alternate Spaces

December 2022 •English

A short documentary on the River Ouse, following it downstream from Lewes to Newhaven, meditating on the surrounding area.

Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above

November 2013 •Chinese

Documenting Taiwan from an aerial perspective offering a glimpse of Taiwan's natural beauty as well as the effect of human activities and urbanization on our environment.

Smart as a Fox

April 1946 •English

Smart as a Fox is a 1946 short documentary film supervised by Gordon Hollingshead. In this short film, a fox cub experiences life in the forest. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short, One-Reel.

The Lost City

April 2016 •English

In the Aysén region dwell a population of 90000 isolated souls sharing the harsh landscapes of an area about the size of England. Here where beauty seems to be on first-name terms with fear and danger,in a place where the immensity of nature can never be dominated, the setting hesitates, along the expanses, between sparkling colours and the black and white of the snow and the water. The day-to-day images intermingle with a story of mythological aspect; that of the timeless quest for the Lost City of the Caesars, a city of gold built 500 years ago by the conquerors.

La Rivière

November 2018 •French

The Enchanted Forest of the Pygmy Hippopotamus

January 1998 •English

One of the most mysterious animals to inhabit the jungle is the pygmy hippopotamus - up to 300 kg in weight, just 2 meters long, and 80 cm tall, and a true loner. Since its discovery in 1844, generations of researchers have attempted to study it in the wild - but in vain. Although it proved possible to catch a few specimens for zoos, no one ever got to see them before they were already inside the trap. They eluded the gaze of the researchers like phantoms under the protection of the enchanted forest. These are the first ever pictures of pygmy hippopotami in their natural surroundings - the rain forest of West Africa. Set amid stories about their habitat, the film allows a first impression of this timid creature's life. While their ten-times heavier relatives are loud and gregarious and live in open stretches of water, the pygmy hippopotamus moves furtively through the thick undergrowth.

March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step

February 2017 •French

A young penguin, driven by his instinct, embarks on his first major trip to an unknown destination.