TIGRE GENTE
Every year, Stephen Pizzello, Editor-in-Chief of American Cinematographer graciously watches films from our lineup and selects Salem Film Fest's cinematography award. Below are his comments on the nominees and winner of this year's award.
All of this year’s nominees for the American Cinematographer Award alert viewers to tragic situations slowly devolving toward catastrophic loss — the erosion of natural environments, the destruction of animals that are nearly extinct, and sad circumstances that suppress the hopes and culture of an indigenous people.
LAST OF THE RIGHT WHALES
Last of the Right Whales, directed by Nadine Pequeneza and featuring cinematography by Mark Hammond and Stefan Randstrom, ponders the fate of a critically endangered species. Although right whales are no longer hunted for their oil, meat and bones, fewer than 400 now exist thanks to ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear that can lead to painful, protracted deaths. Pequeneza’s documentary is an impassioned plea to save these magnificent sea creatures, who may be functionally extinct by 2040 unless human beings make a determined effort to save them.
Rarely sighted, right whales make for a challenging documentary subject, and filming them in their natural habitat requires extraordinary diligence and technical flexibility. Drones, floating camera rigs and other special pieces of equipment were deployed to produce spectacular footage of these elusive marine mammoths, but also wrenching visuals that detail their distress.
TIGRE GENTE
Tigre Gente, directed by Elizabeth Unger and shot by Edward Roqueta, documents the ongoing eradication of another threatened species, the jaguar, by focusing on efforts to thwart Bolivian poachers who illegally hunt the animals so they can sell their pelts, skulls and teeth. From its impressive opening shot onward, this compelling doc takes a very cinematic approach to its subject matter as it follows two main protagonists: the director of the Mididi National Park, who’s made it his life’s mission to protect the jaguar, and a Chinese environmentalist, whose conscience compels her to question her own culture’s complicity in the animal’s plight.
Their quest is framed like an investigative thriller, featuring dynamic landscape and wildlife cinematography interspersed with stunning aerial work, time-lapse photography, and undercover footage captured surreptitiously with hidden video cameras.
EXPOSURE
Exposure, directed by Holly Morris, chronicles an ambitious adventure that required two lead cinematographers (Kathryn Burrows ad Ingeborg Jakobsen) and six additional camerapeople to track 10 women from various countries as they attempt to make a 100-kilometer trek to the North Pole in 10 days. The intrepid team of explorers was assembled from a pool of nearly 1,000 women who answered a global call for applicants to join the perilous expedition, which raised funds over two years through sponsorships and crowdfunding. After convening for a pair of grueling training sessions, the team meets in the Arctic outpost of Svalbard, Norway to begin their trek — despite hazardous conditions made even more extreme by the fact that the very formation of sea ice is at an all-time low.
What results is an inspirational, life-affirming journey featuring scenic shots that capture both the glories and hardships of a physically grueling, emotionally draining quest — one that requires the women to trudge through a frozen landscape of constantly shifting ice that poses a formidable logistical challenge.
SCENES FROM THE GLITTERING WORLD
Scenes from the Glittering World, directed and shot by Jared Jakins, surveys the emotional and physical landscapes occupied by three indigenous youths struggling with the alienating realities of their daily lives in a remote corner of Navajo Nation. From its creative opening shots, which “reveal” the documentary’s settings through colored cloths fluttering over the camera lens, Glittering World leads viewers through a range of settings and emotions captured with an abundance of local flavor and visual flair. Witty compositions frame some of the lighter moments on the reservation, and stark but beautifully composed landscapes effectively capture the bleak tone of the young protagonists’ lives.
The cumulative effect of these affecting techniques generates a great deal of empathy for the people portrayed onscreen as they attempt to connect with each other, overcome their individual or family issues, and come to grips with tribal traditions that may fade away unless they and other members of their generation actively strive to keep them alive. As the various narrative strands are woven together, the documentary’s fine details produce an authentic emotional kick, and viewers will surely find themselves rooting for these kids to pull through and succeed.
All of these projects qualify as award-worthy docs, making it a challenge to spotlight just one of them for the American Cinematographer Award. In the end, my decision was only made after meticulously assessing the sheer number of exceptionally photographed moments — captured in a wide range of conditions and circumstances — that each entry offered.
TIGRE GENTE
Ultimately, I felt that the truly cinematic qualities of Tigre Gente elevated it to the top spot in a very competitive field, but all of the filmmakers should feel honored to have their superb work recognized and showcased by the festival.
Stephen Pizzello - Editor-in-Chief, American Cinematographer
All of these films are available for streaming with Salem Film Fest through Sunday, April 3 - Watch them here.
