Ice Breath

Directed by Leonard Gabriel Alecu

WARNING! This review contains spoilers

Leonard Gabriel Alecu’s Ice Breath transports viewers to the breathtaking landscape of Greenland’s East Coast. The film spans from 2015 to 2023, capturing the gradual decay of towering icebergs, all beautifully framed in black and white. Accompanied by John Luther Adams’ haunting composition Become Ocean, the documentary becomes an immersive experience that transcends the boundaries of a traditional environmental documentary. The hypnotic tones of Become Ocean, with its rhythmic rise and fall, perfectly complement the film’s visuals, echoing the relentless melting of polar ice and the ominous rise in sea levels.

Watching Ice Breath felt like embarking on a journey beyond just the scenic beauty of icebergs. I was struck by the dynamic shift from still images to vivid tableaux, mirroring the existential journey from creation to eventual extinction. Alecu’s camera angles bring viewers dangerously close to the icebergs, instilling a sense of awe and respect for these ancient, imposing structures. The black-and-white cinematography strips the film down to its rawest form, heightening the sense of both beauty and melancholy.

Alecu’s choice to shoot in black and white emphasizes the stark contrasts of the icebergs and the ocean. Each iceberg carries a distinct character, almost as if it has its own story to tell. While I’ve never been to Greenland, Ice Breath made me feel as if I was right there, navigating alongside Alecu in the chilling waters, witnessing firsthand the magnitude and fragility of these icy giants.

The film not only provides a visual tour of Greenland’s icebergs but also communicates a profound message about climate change. The melting ice serves as a metaphor for the urgent environmental challenges we face. Alecu’s poetic portrayal evokes deep thought, emphasizing that what we see is just the tip of a much larger problem—a call to action to understand the full extent of climate change.

Alecu demonstrates an impressive command over storytelling, capturing both the grandeur and sadness of a rapidly changing world. I look forward to seeing more from Alecu, whose talent shines through each carefully framed shot and every moment of this visually poetic film. Ice Breath is not just a film—it’s an experience, a visual ode to nature’s ephemeral beauty and the irreversible impact of human actions.