Cane Toads: The Conquest
While popular culture would have us believe that Australia’s primary wildlife gripe revolves around kangaroos (and the tying down thereof), there’s actually a far more troublesome beast irking our Down Under chums. Having been introduced in the ’30s to deal with a crop-destroying beetle, there are now more than 200 million cane toads in the country, making residents’ lives a misery with their poisonous toxins.
Having first tackled the blighters with light-hearted 1988 feature Cane Toads: An Unnatural History, Aussie director Mark Lewis revisits the topic in typically comical style, with his slimy subject portrayed as some sort of B-movie swamp monster. Despite the jovial tone, some may scratch their chins and suggest that Lewis is seeking to draw comparisons between the toads and a similarly invasive species not a million miles away from where you’re sitting this very second. But whatever your interpretation, there’s another reason that this week’s screenings ought to be packed out – it’s being shown in 3D. Something of a warts-and-all experience, you could say.
Marina Mall 5: 4.30pm, Oct 16. Marina Mall 8: 7.30pm, Oct 17
Jane’s Journey
Sure, lots of people claim to love chimps, but you’ll be hard pushed to name more than a handful who’ve dedicated their lives to studying, analysing and promoting the welfare of the adorable poo-flinging critters. British primatologist Jane Goodall is one such person, whose transition from scientist to activist forms the focal point of this biographical documentary, directed by Germany’s Lorenz Knauer.
Fairly obviously, it’s not one for action fans (we doubt you’d last five minutes if you sat through and actually enjoyed The Expendables). But for aspiring conservationists in search of evidence that a single dedicated individual can make a difference to the world, this ought to be just the film to satisfy your do-gooding urges. Oh, and there’s input from fellow monkey-lover Angelina Jolie (apparently a life-long admirer of Goodall’s work), making this worth a watch even if you couldn’t give a monkey’s about, er, monkeys.
Marina Mall 4: 7pm, Oct 20. Abu Dhabi Theatre: 3.30pm, Oct 22
Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?
Though something of a nightmare for picnickers, the humble bee is a key player in maintaining the stability of our natural world. Following up on a theory posited in 1923 that the world’s honeybee population would find itself in trouble within 90 years, filmmaker Taggart Siegel uses his latest documentary to explore the ecological causes and effects of a phenomenon that’s now been dubbed ‘colony collapse disorder’, a natural peculiarity whereby worker bees simply abandon their hives, causing considerable problems for agricultural folk.
Siegel’s film takes us around the globe in search of an explanation for the mysterious disappearances, demonstrating the same dedication to his cause that saw 2005 effort The Real Dirt on Farmer John – a feature about an activist farmer – create a buzz at a number of festivals. But what’s most interesting about Queens of the Sun is that it’s a rare example of an eco-flick that doesn’t put guilt-tripping the viewer at the core of its agenda, instead delivering hearty slaps on the back to those who are working tirelessly to research and remedy this growing concern.
Abu Dhabi Theatre: 7.30pm, Oct 17. Marina Mall 2: 7.30pm, Oct 18
Waste Land
There can’t be an artist working in the world today who hasn’t at some point had his or her work labelled ‘junk’, ‘rubbish’ or ‘garbage’. But when someone actually declares waste products the cornerstone of their creative aesthetic, the results are surprisingly captivating. Brazilian artist Vik Muniz is one such man, having created vast sculptures from the various debris found on the streets of his native Sao Paulo.
In her latest feature, British filmmaker Lucy Walker follows Muniz as he embarks on a particularly ambitious project; creating a huge installation piece using discarded items found in a dump just outside Rio de Janeiro. Obvious environmental commentary aside, the film also focuses on the relationships Muniz forms with local people during his task – people for whom salvaging recyclable materials is a means of survival. Walker’s documentary has already scooped awards at the Berlin and Sundance film fests, among others, so expect to fight for a seat when this inspiring offering comes to the capital.
Abu Dhabi Theatre: 9.45pm, Oct 19; 6.30pm, Oct 22
