Super 8 film captured a close-up of a silvery fritillary butterfly
Nature Hunter Films Limited
super nature
Ed Sayers hitting UK cinemas in 2026
Ed Sayers, a director of commercials and music videos, has an affinity for Super 8, a film format introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1965, and he’s not alone. This delicate film cassette continues to thrive thanks to a dedicated community of filmmakers worldwide.
What distinguishes Sayers is his organizational skill. His project, super nature, which premiered last month at the London Film Festival, showcases Super 8 footage from 25 countries, contributed by 40 filmmakers and local advocates for nature in their regions.
I must confess that as I looked over the concept of this film, I endured scenes with a sparrow and a household cat for 82 minutes, which I regret.
While the film’s distributor, BFI, boasts of its “green” credentials, the pitch feels a bit lacking despite the feature being a globally-focused documentary with zero air miles. It’s worth noting how uniquely different everything appears through this handheld, low-fidelity medium.
Super 8 resembles, as Sayers puts it in the narration, “someone painted your memories.” This becomes apparent as you adjust to the glare, flare, rocking movements, and shifts in color and tone inherent in this format. The Super 8 world reflects our own—not polished or curated, with imperfect lighting, much like real life.
“
Among the film’s many charming moments is the delightful observation that puffins “have the kindest eyes.”
“
However, the film is often breathtakingly beautiful, and this production is no exception. Some ambitious shots featuring elusive and wary creatures are challenging to interpret. Just because we catch a fleeting glimpse of them doesn’t imply their value is diminished. One sequence that didn’t resonate with me was the goose migration, which, despite being exquisitely filmed and edited, felt overly clever and “staged” with its setup involving microlights and two cameras. In contrast, lying in a puddle with a plastic bag over my head to shoot snails would make for a great idea.
Contrasting with high-budget nature documentaries, this film seeks to uncover hidden worlds, and while the thirst for new discoveries is compelling, I can’t help but ponder whether viewers will become weary of impeccably-lit, framed, and timed images found in productions like walking with dinosaurs.
super nature offers a refreshing take on the genre. Its structure revolves around its production journey. Each segment (from flamingos to earthworms to corals) comes with a voiceover by each filmmaker, sharing the significance of their footage. Among many delightful moments are descriptions of the sounds puffins make while running (humorous, reminiscent of oversized slippers) and the remark that “puffins have very kind eyes.”
The creators are genuinely inspiring. Some embarked on Super 8 journeys seeking a new perspective after experiencing personal hardships. Others advocate for environmental consciousness, while a few may even brave a cold water faucet (as ibex seem to understand the wisdom of the mountains).
Then we have Sayers’ own narrative. Act 1: The director dreams of documenting the natural world using retro technology and local filmmakers. Act 2: He faces disillusionment, piecing together footage of floods, fires, marshes in Ukraine, and plastic waste. Act 3: The director finds renewed hope, and the playful antics of seals turn the project into a triumph.
It’s a narrative arc as compelling as any, yet entirely predictable in contrast to the footage’s unpredictability.
Simon too Recommends…
Film
silent world
Jacques Cousteau and Louis Malle
While not the first to depict the deep ocean in color, Cousteau and Malle’s 1956 documentary transformed our perception of two-thirds of Earth.
TV Series
walk together dinosaur
Tim Haynes
First aired in 1999, this six-part BBC documentary (rebooted in 2025) introduced scientific rigor into its thrilling portrayal of the Mesozoic era.
Topic:
Source: www.newscientist.com
