Five Questions for Filmmakers: Antarctica in the Footsteps of the Emperor

We reached out to our festival filmmakers to ask them five questions about the experience of making their films.​​

Antarctica in the Footsteps of the Emperor- Finalist Trailer from Jackson Hole WILD on Vimeo.

What inspired this story?

​Director Jérôme Bouvier: What inspired this story is the will to make a sensitive film, going beyond a classic expedition film. The discovering of the area by two sensibilities extremely contrasted allows me to speak about Antarctica and tackle the complexity of the phenonema at stake. Slightest change have deep consequences on the species which live there.

What impact do you hope this film will have?
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JB: I hope my film will cause surprise, wonder and empathy so that spectators will have a sustainable interest to this continent, how it works and its protection. So that Antarctica will stay a land of peace and science … And a long time after 2042, year during which the Antarctic Treaty will be discussed. I want my spectators taking conscience that everything is linked on our planet. One action here can have aftereffect other there, far away from here. And also, the complexity of the working of our planet is fascinating and deserve better attention.

Still image from Antarctica in the Footsteps of the Emperor

Describe some of the challenges faced while making this film.

During the shooting, the main challenge for me was to physically cope to be able to follow on one side a only-night-working photographer (a night which is not a one) and on the other side a dive team who worked during the day, every day. I also had to follow local wildlife and support the scientists in their own work. No rhythm and little sleep. During the editing, the big challenge was to bring the scientific information on physical and biological phenomena which happens at a continental scale, in a expedition story localized in time and space. Every thing without loosing of sight the story of our two photographers…. Keeping a sensitive point of view and not only factual on my characters (penguins included) and on that continent. The balance was hard to find.

Still from Antarctica in the Footsteps of the Emperor

Still from Antarctica in the Footsteps of the Emperor

​Were there any surprising or meaningful experiences you want to share?

The journey, the remoteness (13 days of storm and boat trip to arrive on the spot), the feeling to arrive in a completely different, out of the world … An extremely deceptive impression when we know the impact of Antarctica on the rest of the world, and vice versa.

What next?

A project which if it happen, will tackle territory sharing, coexistence, wild life, and need for men to find a way to live with inconvenient species.