Bestiaries, Herbaria, Lapidaries

• Martina Parenti, Massimo D'Anolfi
• 206 min
• Italy, Switzerland
• 2024
• Documentary

Encyclopedic, essayistic and immersive – exploring animals, plants, and stones, and what they reveal about us rather than what we say about them.

Structured in three acts, each with distinct tones and documentary styles, this fascinating film turns familiar perspectives upside down. Here, non-human protagonists tell the story of humanity.

D’Anolfi and Parenti (Spira Mirabilis GFF 2017) begin with an archival deep dive into how animals have been cataloged and classified – creating and preserving a hierarchy with humans at the top. The second act shifts to a poetic, observational exploration of the world’s oldest botanical garden in Padua, where plants demonstrate their quiet superiority in almost every aspect. The final act reflects on stones and their roles in war, destruction and commemoration.

A captivating cinematic experience that invites viewers to see the world in another way.

- Johan Blomqvist

• Film om film
• Dokumentär
• Djur
• Vetenskap
• Kontemplation
• Natur