World-premiered in the Documentary Competition of BFI London, Super Nature, directed by Ed Sayers, unites 40 collaborators from 25 countries across five continents, who use Super 8 to craft a vivid and diverse tapestry of the natural world. Over 27 hours of silent footage were filmed globally, with only the cameras travelling between locations. Each local filmmaker told his or her own story, receiving remote training in Super 8 techniques and working independently.

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The aim of the project was to ensure sustainability throughout the process, while still being able to cover the widest area possible. The countries involved were Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, England, France, Grenada, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Scotland, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Wales, Tasmania, the Netherlands, Ukraine and the USA. The languages spoken in the voice-overs are Dutch, English, Enawene Nawe, French, Icelandic, Punjabi, Spanish, Sama-Bajaw, Sámi and Thai. The silent footage is combined with this overlaid narration through some great sound design from David McAulay, while there is also an original score by Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres with licensed music from Cosmo Sheldrake, The Faces and Daisy Rickman.

Since each film cartridge lasts only two-and-a-half minutes, Super 8 is hardly a suitable format for filming wildlife, where normally the camera would be running for hours on end. This challenge makes the project very interesting and definitely one worth checking out. It’s always uplifting to see someone reminding us of both the intensity and fragility of nature as well as the power of film, with a tiny bit of nostalgia sprinkled in. Super 8 is one of those things that makes even those who have never experienced it firsthand feel nostalgic, as if it were awakening memories they had never actually had. It’s a magical medium that allows viewers to travel back in time, even when watching something filmed only recently.

Nonetheless, Super 8 shouldn’t be used as an excuse to label a film or video as interesting solely because of its format. Since the transition to digital, there seems to have been a tendency to value films more highly for how they are shot than for their actual quality or the meaning they intend to convey. The rise in the popularity of such films needs to come with an ability to distinguish between a genuinely good piece, and one that relies on nostalgia or on overly intellectual elements.

Luckily, Super Nature merges its interesting technical qualities with a pleasing attentiveness to sustainability, as well as focusing on a topic that can easily win over audiences, with 120 different animal species from around the world on display. Sayers’ documentary will be a joy to watch for nature lovers, and indeed for all Super 8 fans, but it can also work for a less specific audience, especially thanks to its reasonable running time of 82 minutes. Overall, the film is a perfect festival entry and a pleasant discovery, even though it is unlikely to have a strong resonance owing to its niche approach.

Super Nature is a Seven Productions and Grasp the Nettle Films production, co-produced by Forest of Black. Its international sales are in the hands of Autlook Filmsales.