High above bustling New Delhi, birds of prey known as black kites have for years routinely been falling from the skies — due to injuries sustained from pollution or manja, the dangerous cotton threads of paper kites that slice through their wings. For decades, brothers Mohammad Saud and Nadeem Shehzad — who believe in the interconnectedness of human and animal life — have taken it upon themselves to save the birds, which the general city population largely sees as nuisances despite their essential role in the city’s ecosystem. In his hypnotic, poignant, and beautifully crafted documentary, New Delhi–based filmmaker Shaunak Sen immerses himself with Saud and Shehzad for a portrayal of their struggle to make change that doubles as a diagnosis of a city rocked by turmoil. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary (World Cinema) at Sundance and the L’Œil d’or for Best Documentary at Cannes. (Synopsis from the 2022 New York Film Festival Program Guide)
“A thoughtful, meditative thesis on humanity’s relationship with nature, filmed with the kind of cinematographic beauty most fiction filmmakers can only aspire towards.” —John Nugent, Empire “ALL THAT BREATHES manages to be both otherworldly and humanizing, as if it were bridging a gap between different forms of existence.” —Pat Brown, Slant Magazine “...A stunningly beautiful film…. There’s no voice over telling the audience what conclusions to draw; we’re trusted to observe, contemplate and absorb for ourselves. The ultimate message may be that while humanity inflicts terrible harm on the world, through toxic pollution and religious conflict, it also produces human beings who perform great acts purely out of love for the natural world. Unmissable.” —Saskia Baron, The Arts Desk
