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The Velvet Queen

La panthère des neiges

2021

Marie Amiguet

Documentary, Self: Vincent Munier, Sylvain Tesson

7.8

989

Documentary High up on the Tibetan plateau. Amongst unexplored and inaccessible valleys lies one of the last sanctuaries of the wild world, where rare and undiscovered fauna lives. Vincent Munier, one of the world's most renowned wildlife photographers takes the adventurer and novelist Sylvain Tesson (In the Forest of Siberia) with him on his latest mission. For several weeks, they'll explore these valleys searching for unique animals and try to ... [+]

	Media	Author	Review
		Guy Lodge Variety	"Marie Amiguet's quietly spellbinding doc is more about the chase than the quarry. (...) The doc thoughtfully ponders the conflicted nature of a one-way relationship between watcher and watched"
		Pat Brown Slant	"Long stretches of 'The Velvet Queen' are simply mesmerizing (...) Its philosophizing lapses into clichés about the distractions and decadence of modern society (…) Rating: ★★½ (out of 4)"
		Robert Abele Los Angeles Times	"'The Velvet Queen' reveals the humane in nature (...) The key takeaway is that [it] feels like a humane adventure, not some patronizing tour of the wild"
		Paul Byrnes Sydney Morning Herald	"Munier's breathtaking images are transcendently beautiful. That is all the eloquence the film needs (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Michael Phillips Chicago Tribune	"Beautiful if surprisingly gabby (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"
		Tambay Obenson IndieWire	"Humankind's awareness of nature's relative unimportance is [its] overarching theme, led with a provocative, though recycled cri de coeur for a literal and figurative return to nature"
		Brian Tallerico rogerebert.com	"There's a calming serenity to it. The idea that we should step out of our technology-driven worlds to be reminded of the existence of creatures of such beauty, majesty, and intelligence feels valuable (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"
		Peter Bradshaw The Guardian	"I enjoyed this documentary for the way it keeps human beings within the picture and doesn’t create a world in which animals exist on their own (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		David Stratton The Australian	"This is more than just a nature documentary —it enters the realm of mysticism and the images of the leopard itself provide an immensely satisfying conclusion (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Kevin Maher The Times	"Chills are delivered (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"
		Michael O'Sullivan The Washington Post	"Even if the idea of this film does not appeal to you, please consider it anyway (...) Rating: ★★★½ (out of 4)"
		Davide Abbatescianni Cineuropa	"Amiguet keeps a very low profile and alternates between stunning images of magical landscapes and the marvellous creatures populating Tibet (...) An intense sensorial experience."

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