film
Heart of Oak
[Le Chêne], directed by Laurent Charbonnier and Michel Seydoux, France 2022, 80'
- For more than two hundred years, a majestic oak tree has been growing in the middle of the forest, providing shelter for its many inhabitants.
- The cast of the spectacular Heart of Oak is unique and worthy of all awards: squirrels, weevils, jays, ants, field mice many other creatures of the wood. This small, vibrant, buzzing and wonderful universe depends on the noble tree, drawing food and shelter from it, down from its roots up to its branches. We will therefore find friends dropping by, stray wanderers, tender lovers, bad neighbours and ruthless predators.
- The filmmakers wanted to find a balance between the realisation of their scenario and nature. They used the newest audiovisual technologies and modified standard equipment to show the world of the smallest creatures. They used 360-degree virtual cameras and experimented with videography. Thanks to a unique editing technique, it seems as if the animals, while observing their habitat, see the same things we do.
- Following the course of the seasons, Heart of Oak is a lyrical ode to life in which nature is the only voice, its sounds perfectly complemented by the music of Cyrille Aufort. The microcosm of the great oak delights and soothes the senses of viewers of all ages.
