Atropa

Traditional shamans won’t be found in Latin America and Africa alone. Documenting moods rather than facts, Atropa takes us into the world of shamans practising in Europe. While the film opens with footage of a ritual by a forest stream, this is merely the start of a mesmeric series of nature images. Aided by ambient music, the film’s abstract and magical shots encourage the viewer towards a heightened perception of what unfolds on the screen. The director points out contemporary Western culture’s neglect of the mechanisms of nature, but he also appreciates the peaceful rhythm of time as the bearer of tranquillity in a modern civilised world. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)