Documentary: Anthony Powell: Antarctica: A Year on Ice (New Zealand, 2013)
A documentary about a year working in Antarctica, this is one of the best Antarctic movies I’ve seen. The director Anthony Powell has worked on the continent for many years, and the movie reflects a deep understanding of the working culture and the people there. There’s lot of wonderful little detail about everyday life.
The star attraction in the movie is Powell’s time-lapse images. He says that to truly appreciate the Antarctic experience, you have to see the change, and for that purpose time-lapse is essential. He may well be right; his images are gorgeous and beautiful, and reflect the kind of commitment a really long-term project can have.
Other excellent Antarctic movies, such as Werner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World or John Carpenter’s The Thing, have done interesting things with Antarctica, but this movie shines in its subjective exploration of what’s it like to live and work there.