Earth

Several billion tons of earth are moved annually by humans—with shovels, excavators or dynamite. Acclaimed filmmaker Nikolaus Geyrhalter (Our Daily Bread, Homo Sapiens) spans the globe to observe people—in mines, quarries and at large construction sites—shredding, detonating, despoiling, and taking possession of the earth. Initially photographed from above, seen as abstract paintings, these terrains are subsequently explored on the ground. Earth weaves together observational footage of machines in operation with frank conversations with the workers that run them. The dimensions are gigantic, the proportions out of control; the world has slipped from humanity’s grasp. “There is always a bigger machine, a bigger engine and when all fails there is dynamite. We always win,” claims a quarry worker. Or do we? View trailer.