Land of Fire

synopsis

In British Columbia-one of the most sparsely populated regions of the Western world- wildfires have become an everyday part of life. Local communities are marked by substance abuse, violence, and traces of absence are everywhere: in the burned forests and along roadsides lined with posters of missing persons. Nikola Klinger has made a film about people facing complex challenges who nonetheless believe in a better future. By weaving together the interconnected lives of the locals, the film creates a layered portrait of the landscape and the people’s bond with the wilderness, its magic and its myths. Residents live in the shadow of unsolved deaths and the disappearances of young people, finding an escape from their troubles in community solidarity and modern-day rituals, such as the demolition derby at the local wreck yard.

“There is something alive out there in the bush; you can feel it, but you can't see it.”

biography

Nikola Klinger (1987) is a Czech documentary filmmaker, photographer and visual artist. He studied photography at UJEP and audiovisual studies at CAS, FAMU. His work focuses primarily on the lives of non-conformist individuals and isolated communities. His feature-length debut, La Reine (2023), won an award at the Jihlava IDFF.

film details

director:	Nikola Klinger
producer:	Kristina Husová, Jan Wilde
photography:	Nikola Klinger
editing:	Ema Adamove
sound:	Nikola Klinger, Lukáš Kosek, Bony Stoev
sound design:	Bony Stoev
composer:	Michal Cáb
script dramaturgy:	Martin Ryšavý, Jana Ševčíková, Zdeněk Blaha

contact

Kristina Husová / CINEPOINT
husova.kristina@gmail.com