In one of the world’s most populated cities, two brothers —
Nadeem and Saud — devote their lives to the quixotic effort of protecting the
black kite, a majestic bird of prey essential to the ecosystem of New Delhi
that has been falling from the sky at alarming rates. Amid environmental
toxicity and social unrest, the ‘kite brothers’ spend day and night caring for
the creatures in their makeshift avian basement hospital. Director Shaunak Sen
(Cities of Sleep) explores the connection between the kites and the
Muslim brothers who help them return to the skies, offering a mesmerizing
chronicle of inter-species coexistence.
What the critics are saying:
Maybe the most beautifully realized documentary in recent memory.
All That Breathes blends a verité-style character study with gorgeous
nature cinematography while never losing the film’s overall commentary
on how man interacts with nature—or merely chooses to destroy it through
inaction.
A subtle, haunting reflection on the meaning of
humanity — on the breathtaking kindness and heartbreaking cruelty that
define our wounded, intrepid, predatory species.
A.O. Scott
New York Times