The Islands and the WhalesMike Day

The Faroe Islands are an archipelago in the triangle Scotland-Norway-Iceland. The islanders have been living there for centuries of what nature has to offer them: seagulls and whales. But their way of living and existence are threatened from various fronts. Scottish director Mike Day received the award of Best Emerging Filmmaker at Hot Docs with this visually stunning documentary.

For centuries the islanders live of what nature has to offer them. Fathers teach their sons how to catch the best birds and the whole community looks forward to the reoccurring whale hunt. But due to the pollution of the oceans, the number of local birds is decreasing and the meat is full of toxins. A local toxicologist has discovered that the meat even causes cognitive growth retardation in children and many other medical problems. There is a lot of outside criticism on whaling. Environmentalists come to the islands, determined to intervene. All this leads to a defensive attitude of the islanders, who want to hold on to their traditions. How do the Faroese deal with this conflict of interest?

In addition to the visual splendor of the breathtaking aerial images, interspersed with Day's brilliant attention for detail, it is especially his way of communicating and contact with the islanders that is truly impressive. Mike Day did not make undercover images of the whaling, because during the 5 years he was filming, he gained the trust of the islanders, thus capturing their day-to-day lives from up-close. Without judging them, he sketches their way of life, creating an intimacy that is exceptional considering the controversial topic of animal hunting, nature, pollution and ecology. An exceptional film that is as monumental as it is intimate.




This screening will be preceeded by the short documentary


Ins Holz
Corina Schwingruber Ilic, Thomas Horat Zwitserland 13 min.

Eens in de vier jaar worden de bossen nabij het meer Aegeri in Zwitserland gekapt. De nog steeds traditionele manier van werken wordt van generatie op generatie doorgegeven. Technologie heeft daarop geen invloed. Ins Holz is een aaneenschakeling van prachtige beelden van een bijna vergeten beroep in de Zwitserse natuur.

(more information about short film)
Vertoond op editie(s) 2017
Screened at edition(s) 2017

Info

Directed by Mike Day
Denmark, UK, Faroe Islands
85 min.
Faroese, Danish & English
Subtitles: English

Programme

Festival favorites*

credits
Director

Mike Day

Producer

Mike Day

Production company

Intrepid Cinema, Radiator Film

Cinematography

Mike Day

Editing

David Charap, Mike Day, Claire Ferguson, Nicole Halova, Mary Lampson

Music

Antony Partos, Mike Sheridan

Contact info
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(en screener)
(beschikbaar vanaf 20.03)