Minnesota: A History of the Land

Fantastic Fungi

August 2019 •English

A vivid journey into the mysterious subterranean world of mycelium and its fruit— the mushroom. A story that begins 3.5 billion years ago, fungi makes the soil that supports life, connecting vast systems of roots from plants and trees all over the planet, like an underground Internet. Through the eyes of renowned mycologist Paul Stamets, professor of forest ecology Suzanne Simard, best selling author Michael Pollan, food naturalist Eugenia Bone and others, we experience the power, beauty and complexity of the fungi kingdom.

River of Gold

March 2016 •English

Narrated by Academy Award winners Sissy Spacek and Herbie Hancock, River of Gold is the disturbing account of a clandestine journey into Peru's Amazon rainforest to uncover the savage unraveling of pristine jungle. What will be the fate of this critical region of priceless biodiversity as these extraordinarily beautiful forests are turned into a hellish wasteland?

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.

My Tiger Family

August 2024 •English

In the jungles of north west India, there lives a remarkable wild tiger family. Now, using 50 years of footage, the story of their matriarchal clan is pieced together.

The Living Desert

November 1953 •English

Although first glance reveals little more than stones and sand, the desert is alive. Witness moving rocks, spitting mud pots, gorgeous flowers and the never-ending battle for survival between desert creatures of every shape, size and description.

The Turtle Family

January 1988 •English

Whether on land, in fresh water, or in the sea, tortoises, terrapins, and turtles have an advantage. Nature has blessed them with a protective shell that locks out interference and danger.

Street Monkeys

February 2009 •English

Breaking and entering, gang fights-it's not the lifestyle you would imagine inside the posh Mount Edgecombe Estate in Durban, South Africa. But for our primate cousins, the vervet monkey, just trying to protect their turf is all in a day's work. This group of mischievous vervet monkeys bring action and drama to every street corner. Over the course of a year, two rival gangs, the Pani Troop and the Sugar Cane Gang, will vie for prime real estate. See who will win.

The Stages of Whale Decomposition

March 2022 •English

Fallen whale carcasses, abundant in the deep-sea, form ecosystems of their own. As it decomposes, different stages support a succession of marine biological communities. It is these complex and fascinating stages that are here explored.

Fuel

November 2008 •English

Record high oil prices, global warming, and an insatiable demand for energy: these issues define our generation. The film exposes shocking connections between the auto industry, the oil industry, and the government, while exploring alternative energies such as solar, wind, electricity, and non-food-based biofuels.

The Last Trapper

December 2004 •French

Norman is not just an admirer of nature, he's a part of it. He survives the harshness of the climate and the wildlife by coexisting with it. With his wife Nebraska, they live almost entirely off the land, making money by selling their furs.

In the Theatre of the Gogs

June 2021 •English

A contemplation of art and adventure in the southern wilds of New Zealand by both a landscape photographer and an adventure filmmaker. This film is the unexpected result of their two unique perspectives.

A Spring Tango

March 2024 •Spanish

A sound frame from the silent life

Intelligent Trees

September 2017 •German

Trees talk, know family ties and care for their young? Is this too fantastic to be true? German forester Peter Wohlleben and scientist Suzanne Simard have been observing and investigating the communication between trees over decades. And their findings are most astounding.

Fluid

December 2023 •English

A low budget, comedic documentary following a young man trying to take a deeper look into water, its purpose, and how we, as a society have chosen to use it.

The Hidden Secrets of Lake Titicaca

January 2016 •English

For the first time ever, scientists have plunged into the mystical waters of Lake Titicaca in Peru. This team of fifteen international scientists and underwater archaeologists believes it will uncover remarkable traces of life from pre-Columbian times.

The Man Who Wanted to Change the World

October 2016 •Dutch

Peter Westerveld, artist and visionary, doesn’t want institutions to resolve the problems linked to earth’s problems. Growing up in Africa, he witnessed the advance of the desert and dedicated himself to finding solutions for the ongoing erosion and desertification of the land. The film follows Peter and the NGO working with him to realise his project; to build contour trenches that capture and store rain water under the surface and replenish the desert land.

The Glass Ark

January 1994 •French

The undertaking of an enthusiastic group of scientists to transform an indoor cycle racing-track built for the 1968 Montréal Olympics into an ecological park. The Biodôme of Montréal contains 4 ecosystems of the 3 Americas, from the Tropical Forrest to the Polar World, from the Laurentian Forrest to the St-Lawrence Marine Environment.

Hydrogène, la belle promesse

September 2024 •French

Wolves

March 1999 •English

A look at the great wolf debate with comments and views from people on both sides. It also contains footage of Natives dressing up & doing tribal dances. The link between wolves, bison, and Native Americans; as well as white man's reasoning behind their determination to eliminate bison and wolves from the landscape.

Rainier the Mountain

January 1999 •English

In this retrospective tribute, acclaimed filmmaker Jean Walkinshaw hails the 100th anniversary of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington by talking to those who know it best: the scientists, naturalists, mountain climbers and artists whose lives have been touched by the peak's far-reaching shadow. The result is a harmonious blend of archival material and high-definition footage celebrating an icon of the Pacific Northwest.