Ein nächtlicher Anruf reißt Tierschützer Jean-Baptiste Simon aus dem Schlaf. Im Hafen von Antwerpen ist ein Tier aus einem Container ausgebrochen, der an die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate adressiert war. Die Dockarbeiter geben alleunterschiedliche Beschreibungen. Nur in zwei Punkten sind sie sich einig: Das Tier war weiß. Und es hatte nur ein Horn, mitten auf der Stirn.
This ambitious book from author, producer and director Michael Tobias draws together the voices of 40 renowned documentary filmmakers from around the world. These contributors shed unique light on contemporary culture and aesthetics, the filmmaker's commitment to the documentary form, and the documentary production process from concept to marketplace. They also probe provocative What is reality in a documentary? Can and should there be objectivity in a documentary? What is the role of social advocacy in a documentary? How do new production technologies affect a documentary's message? This is the first book that brings together an international roster of documentary filmmakers to speak about the very heart and soul of their art. It should prove to be an invaluable guide for both professionals and students, and will appeal to general filmgoers as well.
For thousands of years, humans have grappled with the concept of Nature, leaving a profound impact on art, stories, and philosophical systems. In this work, Michael Tobias explores the aesthetic, psychological, and philosophical effects of Earth on humanity, presenting an invigorating overview of ecological aesthetics. The book consists of 10 autobiographical essays, richly illustrated with art and images previously unseen in an ecological context. Tobias delves into the mystical connections between figures like Vivaldi, Giorgione, and Dosso Dossi, drawing parallels between the Age of Exploration and the emergence of the "interior landscape" in van Eyck and Vermeer’s works. He examines ancient Mediterranean cultures, ascetics from Sinai and Tibet, and the ecologically balanced lifestyle of the Jains in India. Profiling 19th-century European and American artists, he uncovers continuities among figures such as poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and painters Ralph Blakelock and George Inness. Tobias identifies a shared instinct for rebirth over destruction in the lives of explorer Francis Kingdon Ward, storyteller Hugh Lofting, and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis. He concludes his lyrical journey in Antarctica, reflecting on humanity's future as caretakers of the Earth, emphasizing that our survival depends on our commitment to the truth, beauty, and sanctity of Nature.