The Power of Nature

The Power of Nature
Film by Kaleisha Crundall

Synopsis:
During the midst of quarantine, a young film-maker enduring isolation begins a downward spiral. In an attempt to escape the walls of her own home, she connects vicariously with nature, using  house-hold reminders and interpersonal relationships. Fantasying about entering a natural setting brings her temporary relief, however she’s still forced to contend with the disconnectedness.

Director’s statement:
At the beginning of the semester, I was really excited doing my first media studio, however this excitement quickly ceased as we moved into quarantine and I was left feeling unmotivated. I noticed a significant increase in the amount of people going for walks and actually using quarantine to reconnect with nature now that they had the time. This was not the case for me, and so i decided to use this film as a way to explore the power nature has in increasing our mood,  and providing us with a sense of calmness that cannot be found online. Creating this film gave me an outlet to make sense of my emotions throughout quarantine, and ultimately remind me how important initiatives to surround ourselves with nature are.

Integrating the constraints of this semester into my film enabled me to throughly explore “new ways of representing and experiencing the environment”. We are so used to experiencing nature first hand, whether it be going for a walk, swimming at the beach, being on a farm etc. Rather than showing nature first hand, I wanted to create the sense of exploring it through memory. My film can be interpreted differently by every individual, giving them a unique experience of engaging with nature.