Nature films usually do a good job of showing off the beauty of our world and explaining how things work. They're often pretty and educational. However, they can sometimes feel a bit detached, keeping viewers at an emotional distance. Occasionally, though, a film comes out that surprises you, presenting nature’s wonders with a lovely, poetic style. That’s what Sara Dosa’s new documentary does; it offers interesting connections between the natural world and human life, from a very personal point of view, while also giving us an important warning for both. “Time and Water” is a beautiful and insightful movie about Iceland, specifically how its people are connected to their landscape, especially its glaciers. The film largely follows writer and poet Andri Snær Magnason, who uses his own experiences to draw thoughtful comparisons between Icelandic family histories and the natural history of this special place. This works because Magnason shares detailed records of his family’s past – writings, photos, home movies, and conversations with relatives – which are then compared to what's held within Iceland’s glaciers. Both represent a record of both cultural and natural history, preserving things from earlier times so that people today can learn about them, giving us an understanding that spans generations. They’re vital records that reflect the close relationship between a group of people and their environment, a connection built up over centuries. But the film also asks a serious question: will these records last? Because of global warming, the glaciers are disappearing – along with everything they hold – at a worrying speed. What took nature an incredibly long time to create could vanish in just one lifetime. And once it’s gone, it's gone forever. As Magnason (who also narrates) points out, how can we tell future generations about what exists now if there won’t be a future for them to experience it? It’s something to consider, and the film brings up questions like that throughout, all while showing breathtaking scenery. These ideas and images are combined with recordings of Magnason's family, as well as his parents and grandparents, illustrating how they’re connected in the same way glacial ice documents the island’s past. It’s true that some of the home movie footage could have been trimmed down; there are moments that don’t really add to the story. But overall, this combination creates a strong sense of continuity between these two aspects and shows how they're intertwined—that taking away one might mean losing the other, no matter how much time or water is around to help preserve them both.

Source on TMDB