Nocturnes speaks to the lepidopterist in all of us. Through remarkable patience, keen observation, and beautiful compositions, directors Anupama Srinivasan and Anirban Dutta conjure a transportive, deeply immersive sensorial experience. Nocturnes’ is a celebration of meticulous, rigorous observation, imploring us to look closer at the hidden interconnectedness of the natural world. Following a research team deep in the Eastern Himalaya mountains, we watch as they set up illuminated canvases night after night, tracking and documenting countless species of moths at different elevations. The dynamic between the researchers—lead ecologist Mansi and her hired help from the Bugun community—is low-key, collaborative, and also revealing about the cultures and people from this region of the world, a remote ecological “hot spot” on the border of India and Bhutan. Nocturnes is ultimately about uncovering the profound, sometimes imperceptible ripple effects of climate change, zeroing in on species we readily take for granted. The pulsing, vibrating symphony of thousands of moths clustered together, and the incredible, colorful biodiversity on display, is endlessly fascinating to behold, and worth saving. ~OO

An initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Also screens on Sunday, October 20 | 1 PM | Science on Screen event