Once Upon a Time in a Forest

A Thousand Pines

September 2023 •English

In this tale of labor and family that shines a light on the precarity of temporary work visas, Raymundo Morales leads a crew of workers who have to make the challenging decision to leave their families in rural Mexico to plant commercial pine forests in the United States.

The Wild Forest

October 2021 •German

“Let nature be nature” is the philosophy of the Bavarian Forest National Park. Despite massive resistance, this vision has become a groundbreaking showcase project. Because humans do not interfere with nature, the former commercial forests grow into a primeval forest, a unique ecosystem and a refuge for biodiversity. People from all over the world come here. They are looking for answers to the question of why we need more wild nature and what we can learn from it to preserve forests for future generations in times of climate change.

Plas Gwynant

September 1959 •English

Follow a group of boys as they learn forestry, map reading, camping, canoeing and rock climbing.

Kůrovec

January 1951 •Czech

Stamp of Character

January 1995 •English

Discover the "character" of one of Missouri's oldest tie and lumber operations through this archival black-and-white film that documents one of the last railroad tie drives on the Black River made by the T.J. Moss Tie Company of St. Louis in the 1920s. Thanks to release of the film by the Kerr-McGee Chemical Corporation, the rare footage in "Stamp of Character" takes us through the entire process of making railroad ties, at a time when forests covered almost two-thirds of the state. The original silent motion picture was shown in movie theaters as an advertisement by the T.J. Moss Tie Company. Using digitally edited narration and realistic sound effects, this video makes the past live again.

Forest for the Trees

November 2021 •English

Award-winning war photographer Rita Leistner goes back to her roots as a tree planter in the wilderness of British Columbia, offering an inside take on the grueling, sometimes fun and always life-changing experience of restoring Canada’s forests. Leistner, who has photographed some of the world’s most dangerous places, credits the challenge of tree-planting for her physical and mental endurance. In Forest for the Trees, her first feature film, she revisits her past to share the lessons she learned. The film introduces us to everyday life on the “cut-block” and the brave souls who fight through rough terrains and work endless hours to bring our forests to life. The rugged BC landscape comes to life magically in Leistner’s photography, while the quirky characters and nuggets of wisdom shared around the campfire tell a sincere story of community.

Škůdci listnatých lesů

January 1954 •Czech

Škůdci jehličnatých lesů

January 1954 •Czech

Povo da Floresta

January 2024 •Portuguese

Butterfly

March 2001 •English

Living in an ancient redwood tree for more than two years to prevent the tree from being clear-cut, Julia Butterfly Hill captured our hearts and minds by showing us that one person can make a difference. Through interviews with Hill, filmmaker Doug Wolens paints a portrait of an intensely spiritual and articulate woman who encountered both beauty and horror (she was assaulted by lumber company helicopters at one point) during her time above ground.

Christian Kjærs sidste vilje

March 2024 •Danish

Groenkijkers

December 2023 •Dutch

Silvicola

April 2023 •English

The human impact on forests is explored through breathtaking vistas and poignant vignettes set in Canada's Pacific Northwest. Those who rely on this precious resource highlight the tensions and dilemmas between commodification and conservation.

Jätkän tie

December 1996 •Finnish

Retired lumber jacks talk about their careers in forest industry of Lapland.

Zelená stráž

January 1952 •Czech

Traktory jedou do lesa

December 1950 •Czech

Documentary film about the use of tractors in Czechoslovak forestry. It shows a forest tractor felling trees, loading logs, hauling and grubbing.

I skog och mark

November 1990 •Swedish

Blad-Johan and the Nature Filmer are two cartoon characters who are part of this rhapsodic montage of crazy ideas and situations that take place in nature.

Rana's Silence

January 2016 •Persian

When Rana's delight, her hen, Kakoli, goes missing, causing her to enter into the state of shock, and joy consequently leaving her completely, her brother and his friend embark on a quest to find the animal, and possibly save her from the dangerous band of local poachers, who coincidently turn out to be followed for arrest by the very small team of local rangers, consisting of Rana's father, among others.

The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortés

December 2024 •Spanish

A thoughtful exploration of gypsy culture, an intimate portrait of flamenco guitar player Yerai Cortés and a healing family exorcism through music. Antón Álvarez (aka C. Tangana) makes his filmmaking debut with this documentary.

A Real Hero

July 2024 •English

A Real Hero is an experimental documentary about the life and humanitarian work of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.