Although Emmy-winning filmmaker Anne Aghion's narration-less Ice People boasts an abundance of almost mystical images of Antarctica's rocky landscapes and endless glaciers, this intimate look at what drives researchers to work in extreme conditions is ultimately about human nature. Aghion accompanied a pair of geologists and two of their students on a research mission to dig for fossils and find evidence of plant life as part of an effort to learn more about Earth's climatic history. After sunlight arrives following months of darkness, the team leaves the relative comfort of a research station for a helicopter trip to a barren landscape, where they begin their fieldwork while living in a large tent—facing hardships ranging from physical discomforts to psychological challenges. Intimate conversations with members of the team—three men and one woman—illustrate the difficulties of maintaining a positive attitude amidst the lonely periods of downtime, while also capturing the politics between professors and lowly students that begins to creep into the group dynamics. While it's true that Aghion (who remains quite invisible during the production) captures a kind of darkening of the human spirit in such extreme circumstances, Ice People nevertheless emerges as a remarkable visual testament of life seen against the extraordinary backdrop of the beautiful but bleak environment of Antarctica. Sure to appeal to fans of Werner Herzog's similarly-themed, Oscar-nominated Encounters at the End of the World, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)
Ice People
(2008) 77 min. DVD: $24.95: individuals; $150 w/PPR: high schools & public libraries; $390 w/PPR: colleges & universities. Anne Aghion Films (dist. by NeoFlix). Volume 24, Issue 2
Ice People
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