Polar Film Festival
Photo by @anniespratt from Unsplash
One year ago…
Last year in January I attended the Polar Film Festival hosted at The Explorer’s Club in midtown Manhattan, New York. I heard about it through their Instagram account, and got a ticket for only Saturday’s programming (I believe the full festival was from Friday night to Sunday).
I wanted to go because I love the stunning visuals of polar environments. I knew that each film would have sweeping shots of arctic blue glaciers and the sharp whiteout of ice-covered land. Little did I anticipate learning about the cultures, peoples and history of the polar regions. Even though it’s been over a year, I can still vividly remember the films. Below are my impressions with links to learn more.
The Distant Islands - I love how this film connected Longyearbyen an islands in the Arctic with El Hierro an island in the mid-Atlantic. Cold polar waters travel across the world and influence the environment and even relationships. “The inhabitants of small islands are like the crew of a ship. It’s in trouble when bonds are revealed,” quoted from the film to describe how communities endure changes in their land and water. Melting permafrost is rapidly changing life for the people in Svalbard. Yet those interviewed in the film describe falling in love with idea of “place”, and a deep feeling of the polar environment as alive.
Wandering in the White - The film is about a couple who travels in the backcountry but gets caught in a harrowing storm. I was amazed by their intrepid spirit and from this film learned that orienteering or navigating in the backcountry is a normal part of life in Finland. Both navigators demonstrated how important it is rely and trust your partner when in the wilderness. I won’t tell you the ending but I can say ‘the storm clears.’
Salvage - This film had me laughing out loud! It was moving, hilarious and such an intimate look into the Yellowknife Northern Canadian community. High cost of living, geographic distance and limited selections means that thrift is an important practice in the north. The community has a tradition to both dump old items but also go through the salvage yard to find what they need. Salvaging here is reminiscent of mining prospectors - ever searching for resources. I highly recommend this endearing and poignant film.
67 49 32 North - I was really moved by this film because of the determination of the main character. Mathieu Dumond had childhood dreams to study Arctic wildlife and unlike many who put dreams aside, he followed through and moved to Northern Canada. We see his journey in adapting to the climate and to being an outsider to a close-knit indigenous community.
Queen Without Land - Norwegian wildlife filmmaker Asgeir Helgestad tracks Frost, a polar bear mother as she navigates the melting and increasingly dangerous arctic sea ice in search of food and shelter for her two cubs Light and Lucky. A touching bond forms between Frost and the filmmaker during the four year journey.
Socializing American Youth Into Good Citizens: Arctic Ethnography and Canadian Inuit Cultures during the Cold War - The program began by showing a short film from the 1960s and one from 2000s. Within three generations the Netsilik people have radically shifted from nomadic hunting to living in modern neighborhoods. Their way of life was deemed too controversial for North American educators and students. A must-see film to give a voice to our past. Netsilik Eskimo Series
Honorable Mentions
Two Breaths - a short film featuring the Students On Ice Foundation expedition to the Arctic in 2019. Students got the opportunity to learn about climate change, listen to local communities and develop their voice for change to use back home. “For every two breaths you take, one comes from the ocean.”
The Mother of the Sea - tracking the connection between the North and the South, this film explores the impact of man-made climate change on the wild landscapes and their peoples.
The Dying of the Light by Ben Walter - beautiful drone imagery of Alaska during the long and dark winter
WILD iCE Backcountry Skating - definitely on my bucket list now to try backcountry ice skating!
Where There Are No Roads - the true story of Alexey Garagashyan the inventor of the SHERP
Permafrost Now - Permafrost is one of the largest sources of carbon on the earth. What does melting permafrost mean for the greenhouse gas effect? Hear from scientists and early career researchers at the Woodwell Climate Research Center
Antarctica A Love Story - good news for single people, you can find love in the most remote place on Earth (it might even be easier!) A tale of falling in love with Antarctica and each other.
Saturday’s Full Festival Schedule https://explorers.org/events/detail/polar-film-festival-2020-sat
