The Cinematheque

VIFF 2021

“[A] beautiful piece of nonfiction poetry.”

Jessica Kiang, Variety

In a small town on the Georgian coast of the Black Sea, a team of lifelong labourers are assigned the monumental task of excavating gigantic trees to be shipped to the property of a former Prime Minister and billionaire for his personal garden. To complete this undertaking of biblical proportions, the men literally uproot their own community, sending irreversible emotional shockwaves landscape. With a story that could begin with ​“Once upon a time,” director Salomé Jashi presents us with something that is as much a film as it is a fairytale, unleashing an astonishing sequence of events with both fantastical visuals and unwavering honesty. The film takes inspiration from the likes of Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Tropical Malady) and Kelly Reichardt (First Cow), with stunning surrealist imagery portraying the never-ending struggle between man and nature. Eliciting both laughter in its absurdity and awe in its grandeur, we are invited to sit quietly and observe man’s attempt to conquer giants.

Insights: This acclaimed series explores the endless possibilities of nonfiction filmmaking while probing involving subject matter.