The Arc of Oblivion" explores a quirk of humankind: in a universe that erases its tracks, we humans are hellbent on leaving a trace. Set against the backdrop of the filmmaker's quixotic quest to build an ark in a field in Maine, the film heads far afield - to salt mines in the Alps, fjords in the Arctic, and ancient libraries in the Sahara - to illuminate the strange world of archives, record-keeping, and memory.
The Arc of Oblivion | Ian Cheney, 2023, United States, 98 min
Preceded by:
A portrait of my mother, my tortoise, and mild winters: In 2009, I moved from my home in Salzburg, Austria, to the United States. The care of my pet tortoise, Tony, fell upon my mother, Kathleen. Tony's species, native to the Mediterranean, hibernate several months each winter at a predictable temperature. Our family's garage used to provide these conditions, but recent erratic winters forced my mother to find a more reliable, future-facing solution. What's revealed is an intimately amusing story of familial relationships rising to the occasion of unpredictable climate change, in which providing mindful care, above all, plays a crucial role.
Testudo Hermanni | G. Anthony Svatek, 2023, Austria, 7 min