Rewilding a Nation

On an island in the Indian Ocean, the Comoros archipelago, unoccupied houses await the arrival of their owners. These places without souls and half built abound across the landscape. The myth of eternal return is repeated in the Comorian diaspora.

Fifteen years after giving up his studies as a botanist, the filmmaker decides to visit his old professor — Julio Betancur — and returns to the tropical forests of Colombia with Julio and his new disciple, the young Cristian Castro. This reunion launches a voyage that immerses us in doubts over science and the way we see the world, as Julio and Cristian look for their beloved plants in remote forests. Through their work, the film shows us the importance of legacies, and the strength of that ancient bond between master and disciple. Their search also prompts a personal reflection on modern man’s obsession with controlling and mapping nature. In the diverse and nearly infinite world of the tropics, what is the point of counting plants forever?

Kellou, in her forties, lives in Bol, the capital of Sahel’s province. She’s a fisher, profession transmitted from mother to daughter. She learned it from her mother. But since a few years, Lake Tchad has been shrinking, and fish has become rare. Kellou’s job is threatened. One day, after an un- successful catch, her 12 year old daughter Mouna gives her an idea: pick up plastic bags invading the lake and make ropes out of it to sell them on the market. By this simple gesture, Kellou gets to, in her own way, fight against plastic pollution and adapt to the new conditions brought about by climate change.

First Nations fight to end grizzly bear trophy hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia. The Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai'xais and Gitga'at First Nations enforce a ban by using Coastal Guardian Watchmen, while the Raincoast Conservation Foundation purchases trophy hunting licenses in the area to prevent a hunt from taking place. The film offers unique access to Canada's First Nations and a breathtaking view of the majestic animals inhabiting the Great Bear Rainforest, including the elusive Spirit Bear.

American Ocelot tells the story of one of the most endangered and beautiful wild cats in the United States — a species so elusive that high-quality images and video have never been captured until now. With fewer than 100 individuals remaining in the US, the ocelot is critically endangered, genetically isolated, and only exists in Texas.

Wildlife photographer Richard Sidey joins an international team of whale research scientists in Antarctica to document their work on how Humpback Whales are adapting to a changing ocean.