Elements Of(f) Balance

At once urgent and meditative, ELEMENTS OF(F) BALANCE offers a survey of the most pressing challenges faced by our planet’s precious and diverse ecosystems alongside the inventive solutions proposed to address them. From the production of biodegradable construction materials made using fungi grown in Italy, the cultivation of plants on floating beds in the lowlands of Bangladesh and the sowing of straw to resist desertification in China, we witness the infinite gifts that the natural world has already bestowed upon us to sustain life. Free of titles that identify nations or names, the film features a cast of scientists and farmers in varied landscapes speaking different languages, proposing a vision of collaboration and innovation that foregrounds humanity instead of borders. In our current climate catastrophe, director Othmar Schmiderer offers a necessary path out of despair, oriented instead towards new ways of living that encourage environmental sustainability over economic growth and mutualism over exploitation. With exquisite, breathtaking scenes across land and water, Schmiderer’s documentary not only provides a glimmer of hope for the future but also serves as a compelling reminder of why this world is worth saving. (Winnie Wang)

In the presence of Othmar Schmiderer and members of the team: Stephan Settele (Co-Author), Siri Klug (Camera), Arthur Summereder (Editor) and others.

Othmar Schmiderer (selection): JOSEF HAUSER – SOUND AND SPACE (1998), AM STEIN (1996), BLIND SPOT – HITLER’S SECRETARY (2002), VODUN-VOODOO-VODOU SPIRITS (2007), BACK TO AFRICA (2008), THE FABRIC OF HOME (2010), IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE. HISTORY AND THE OPEN (2012/13, K, KO-REGIE), DIE TAGE WIE DAS JAHR (2018)