They are incredibly fast, small and also quite shy – anything but ideal conditions for working with a camera. And yet these challenges can result in a fascinating film that takes us into the life of an extraordinary group of creatures with perfect images. Der Kolibri-Effekt [The Hummingbird Effect] uses sophisticated camera technology to document what remains hidden from our eyes. It is hard to imagine how much patience must have been required, how many hours of unused film material, how many blurs, unsuccessful panning shots and how many disappointments on set in order to produce this colourful, diverse and, in every respect, impressive film. We all know hummingbirds, we think – but this film shows us that not all hummingbirds are the same and, what’s more, that we should treat the survival achievements of these little birds with respect.

Austria 2023 – 50 min – DOP: Filipe DeAndrade, Ann Johnson Prum, Doug Shultz – Directed by: Filipe DeAndrade, Ann Johnson Prum, Doug Shultz