[film] IDFA 2022 –

Matter Out of Place is about how humanity deals with waste.

In his 16th feature-length documentary Matter of place Austrian Grandmaster Nicolas Gerhalter sheds light on the thorny subject of waste in his characteristically observant way. Most of his films have an ecological subject and sometimes an anthropological approach. At the start of Matter Out of Place, waste experts in Germany dig into the earth to find waste. Everyday household waste is fun to look at as an archaeological find.

Gehrhalter focuses mainly on Europe, with extensive visits to Switzerland and Austria, but also trips to the US, Maldives and Nepal. His shooting locations are mentioned in the credits. That tropical island in the Maldives offers a memorable image of a huge amount of colorful plastic among the palm trees in that earthly paradise. Another unforgettable moment is the jaws of a crusher grinding waste of all sizes into a fine powder. In this documentary, Gerhalter is fascinated by processes. How to dispose of that waste? Waste burning can also be seen here.

All possible ways of removing waste are shown, even divers bring waste from the bottom of the sea to the surface. We won’t soon forget the garbage truck hanging under the ski lift. You might call Gerhalter’s work sober and remote, but it always has memorable images that reflect. Usually his camera is static and he never uses dialogue, voiceover, music or subtitles. This thought process of filmmaking leaves room for the viewer to think and draw their own conclusions.

Gehrhalter is a welcome oasis in a world of chat parties, a label stuck to most documentaries. Since his debut with Eisenerts in 1993, he has produced an impressive body of work, his team of cameramen and editors top notch. Our Daily Bread from 2005 is probably his best-known documentary, and also has a fascination with processes. How our food is prepared, sexy pictures with animals, don’t miss it. In Mad Homo Sapiens (2016) we see remnants of humanity’s landscapes and structures. With a philosophical perspective, the director deals with urgent matters concerning humans and our planet. Matter Out of Place is another disturbing and memorable viewing experience provided by Gerhalter.

Pictures speak louder than words and should match Heaven Written by Alexander Abuturov. The documentary is about a forest fire in Saga in northeastern Siberia. Villagers call fire a dragon. We see how they try to survive with the coming flames. All the villages are burnt down. There are interesting moments where firefighters try to put out the fire. In a beautifully shot documentary, the director unfortunately doesn’t let the images do the talking enough. A Saga fairy tale is recited in images of terrible fire. At the same time, the images and sounds of the raging fire are enough.

IDFA Through November 20 at various locations.

Ulrich von Dongaren