Geographies of Solitude on Sable Island @Hot Docs 2022

Most conventional environmental documentaries show you a global perspective on climate change or pollution. It pinpoints problem areas around the world with footage supporting the film’s narrative. Films sometimes educate or scare the wits of the audience. Though, the underlying narrative is that the world is not in a good place. But where do environmental documentaries leave the audience? Most of the time helpless and unmotivated to do something let alone make a difference.

Sable Island

FERNTV loves the approach of Canadian director Jacquelyn Mills who focuses on environmentalist Zoe Lucas in Geographies of Solitude. The environmentalist is the lone inhabitant and “caretaker” of Sable Island. It is located in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean where she gets to experience its peaks, valleys, stars, sand and oceans. Furthermore, the island offers animal life such as birds, wild horses, seals and bugs that you would never see before. You find that Zoe cleans up after the animals. As well as the other animals that she rarely sees that being other humans.

This immersive and experimental film shot on 16mm reveals the inspiring work that Zoe Lucas does on Sable Island. She notices plastic pollution coming from elsewhere landing on the shores of the remote island. Birds are ingesting the plastic and causing them to die. Their bodies tend to wash up on the shores of Sable Island.

What was once considered a paradise because of its natural elements is now in a vulnerable state. Zoe Lucas has tried to keep Sable Island primp and proper by cleaning up all the dead bones and plastic pollution. She is the Mother Theresa of environmentalism because she is doing it all by herself in making preserving the island. But is she able to sustain her own activities in preserving Sable Island is the question.

Mother Nature

Geographies of Solitude gives you an in-depth look at how we are affecting our planet. The contrast of this beautiful remote island with bones of dead animals is a cause of concern. These images caught by director Jacquelyn Mills support the film’s narrative that no land is truly exempt from the climate crisis. The sound captured on the island is even more exhilarating as the audience can truly immerse themselves on the island. But also listen to sounds that Mother Nature sometimes as a form of a warning against a backdrop of true beauty.

It is the inspirational work of Zoe Lucas is that we can all take from Geographies of Solitude. The term “Think Globally, Act Locally” still pertains today as we see that it is the only way in bringing about change. Maybe in the future, the winds will change and Mother Nature will sing a better tune.

FERNTV spoke to director Jacquelyn Mills about her longitudinal journey in making this spectacle of a film.

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