All That Breathes

In an age where selfishness has run roughshod over selflessness, it's comforting to know that there are those out there who have not succumbed to these troubling circumstances. Evidence of that is generously served up in director Shaunak Sen's poetic, gorgeously filmed documentary about a pair of brothers who run a makeshift animal hospital out of their basement to heal injured birds in India's capital, New Delhi, a city beset by choking environmental conditions and accelerating political and religious violence. The film is positively beautiful to look at and does tremendous justice to the dedication and compassion of these two wildlife Samaritans. In doing so, the filmmaker offers poignant observations about the connections that bind all of us - both man and animal - to one another, despite whatever petty squabbles or secular considerations might attempt to get in the way, augmented by thoughtful voiceovers, a beautiful, atmospheric score, and stunning cinematography, particularly in its close-up footage of the black kites that the brothers so lovingly nurture back to health. A few segments drag a bit, especially with their inclusion of too much needless incidental footage, but, if that's the picture's greatest failing, there's really little to otherwise fault in this widely decorated release. This is the kind of film that beckons us to heed that age-old advice about taking time to stop and smell the proverbial roses - and to teach us all how to take flight as the truly concerted, humane individuals we're capable of being.

This beautiful documentary is nominated for the documentary Oscar, and I can see why.

It's a unique study of urban wildlife in one of the world's most densely populated, troubled and polluted cities, yet it teems with wildlife.

We see rats, wild pigs, cattle, camels, frogs, snails and owls, as well as the movie's avian heroes, Black Kites.

These revered birds are finding life tough in modern day Delhi, and as they fall, ill broken, from the sky in increasing numbers two brothers, in a makeshift domestic avian hospital, nurse them back to health and freedom in increasing numbers.

It's a slow reveal that some may find tedious.

Others, like me, will revel in its delicious unfolding of life, in abject squalor, in a Delhi slum. (And yet, I kept getting the feeling that this was a middle class neighbourhood we were witnessing/exploring).

The brothers, and their extended family, live in such a hovel that it's difficult to comprehend the work they do, or how they do it on such limited resources, on top of a day job, and the value this brings.

It's a wonderful exploration of nature as you have never seen it before, and deserves all the credit it is getting.

Set amidst a backdrop of civic and religious unrest in New Delhi, this rather dry documentary follows three men who spend much of their waking hours trying to rescue the population of Black Kites that - like the human population - are being seriously affected by the toxicity of the air and the water in their home city. Our opening scene see Salik arrive at their home with loads of fruit boxes that appear to have minds of their own! Enclosed are these beautiful but rather scrawny and malnourished birds that need a good cleaning and some tender loving care. Mohammad Said and Nadeem Shehzad are definitely men on a mission - and we gradually realise the scale of their endeavour - and, ultimately. The impossibility of them saving all - or even most - of these creatures. Meantime, the city is suffering from violent domestic strife that causes them to send their families to neighbouring Old Delhi - a move that enables them to focus solely on their opening of a pet care shop. Nobody is medically qualified here - the family business is soap dispensers; but a bit of reading and a painstakingly acquired working knowledge of just how to heal many of their illnesses - along with a genuine community spirit from neighbours who help out with meat etc. - makes for a compelling watch at times. For me, though, it was all rather slow and told in too a pedestrian a fashion. Whilst their efforts are laudable, these three have little charisma and come across as dedicated but just a bit too dull and earnest to spin this out for an over-long 97 minutes. I could also have been doing with just a little more science as to the nature of the illnesses affecting the birds and a little more on the politics driving the riots. That said, it is worth a watch - but it is disappointing.

As "All That Breathes" (2022 release from India; 96 min) opens, we are introduced to what life is like in New Delhi, with its ever worsening pollution and ever growing populations. Amidst it all, two brothers are doing all they can to treat and heal black kites, which seem to fall out of the sky at astonishing rates. To make matters worse, New Delhi is reeling from religious riots after the Indian government passes the anti-Muslim Citizenship Bill...

Couple of comments: this is not a straight-forward documentary. It features dream-like sequences as it reflects on how mankind ad animals must evolve in an ever-changing environment. We also get a fascinating glimpse into the day-to-day life of an average family in New Delhi (very cramped housing, chaotic overall atmosphere). Last but not least, we see hoe this family, part of the 200+ million Muslims in India, deals with the blatant anti-Muslim law that was passed in late 2019. Absolutely fascinating stuff, filmed brilliantly, and with a great original score to boot. The film has received a Best Documentary Oscar nomination, and for good reason. It's currently also rated 100% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Ever since it premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, "All That Breathes" has been collecting film festival prizes left and right (including at Cannes). The film finally started showing on HBO and HBO Max a few days ago, and I couldn't wait to see it. (While I am happy to see that it got an Oscar nomination, I don't think it will win, as I'm pretty sure that the Best Documentary Oscar will go to "Navalny", and rightfully so.) If you are in the mood for a top notch documentary, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

Some absolutely gorgeous cinematography and a poignant story of a family dedicated to saving injured predator birds amidst the pollution and political upheavals in Delhi. Sen forces the viewer to slow down and consider the natural world that coexists with the seemingly indifferent forces of urban spaces. And Nadeem, Saud, and Salik share their philosophy and way of life as they commit their lives to creatures who many in their society would otherwise leave to die. Haunting and beautiful.