Prepare to have your perspective on life, death, and everything in between completely transformed! Aistė Žegulytė's new documentary, Holy Destructors, is set to premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) from November 13th to 23rd, and it promises to be a truly unique cinematic experience. This film, Žegulytė's second, then heads to the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF).
This isn't your typical nature documentary. Holy Destructors plunges into the hidden world of microfungi, the unsung heroes of decomposition. Using a blend of archival and newly filmed footage, the film takes viewers on a mesmerizing journey through the lens of a microscope, revealing the intricate beauty and vital role these organisms play.
The film's synopsis paints a vivid picture: "Biodestructors are microfungi that existed millions of years before humans and will likely outlive us. Their presence transforms bodies into extraordinary energy that nourishes the soil and gives rise to new life in this endless cycle." Think about that for a moment – these tiny organisms are at the heart of a cycle that has been going on for eons, long before we even existed!
Žegulytė herself explains her fascination: "My fascination for fungi started out with the way they decompose organic matter, a process that also works as a bioconstruction. This is the central theme of the film and the reason I was drawn to fungi. They are like magicians of a vanishing world, organically transforming it into something else. It’s as if death and pain take on a new form.” But here's where it gets controversial... The film challenges our conventional understanding of death, portraying it not as an end, but as a transformative process, a gateway to new life.
Holy Destructors is a collaborative effort, produced by Uljana Kim for Studio Uljana Kim (Lithuania), To Be Continued Productions (France), and Studio Locomotive (Latvia). It received support from various film institutions, including the Lithuanian Film Center and the National Film Center of Latvia. The stunning cinematography is by Vytautas Katkus.
Producer Kim shares her excitement: “We have been working on this film since 2019 and are very happy to finally present it to the audience. Holy Destructors pushes the boundaries of documentary cinema. Aistė Žegulytė has a rare ability to explore complex ideas with poetic precision and visual courage. Working with her means entering a world where science becomes art, and decay reveals creation.”
The trailer promises a visual feast, showcasing fungi, coffins, crypts, and the work of bioarchaeologists and restorers. It's a deep dive into a universe of blooming microorganisms.
And this is the part most people miss... The film’s exploration of decay and transformation could be seen as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of life itself. It's a reminder that even in the face of loss, there is always the potential for renewal.
What do you think? Does this perspective on death and decomposition resonate with you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
