A visually impressive documentary exploring the connection and relationship between the Inuit, land use, caribou, and lichen, a hybrid organism of fungus and algae. Through highly poetic narration and self-made footage that melt into one another, Lindsay McIntyre portrays the absence of clear boundaries between these different bodies, pointing towards their deep connectedness. She particularly points to the special relationship between the caribou and lichen, whose hyper-connectedness turns our attention away from seeing organisms as distinct species and instead toward ecological systems as larger wholes that we merge into.

This interconnectedness is not only reflected in the film’s subject matter but also within the material practice. McIntyre used lichen to develop the film and caribou hide to create the handmade emulsion. In the true spirit of essay film practice, which often blends and challenges boundaries, the film threatens the boundaries of the documentary filmmaking, and challenges conventional distinctions between human, animal, land, and now image-making.

LA