The lost prinstine,memory of a vanishing forest - 2023


"The Lost Pristine: Memory of a Vanishing Forest" is a melancholy poem, a non-narrative film that delves into the complex and fragmented memory of a once-pristine forest in Dorset, UK, that was removed in 1950 to capitalize on its value. Through debris of trees, flowers, grass, rocks, and animal traces, the film questions why the forest was coveted as a factory, while it used to be a protector and a place of prayer.

The film-maker uses lidar scan, an originally architectural surveying tool, to build a surreal environment of the forest that projects onto a 2D measuring device. Once home to Kodama, spirits that reside in the trees and communicate with the forest, it was a place of unlimited spirits, identities, and memories. However, all these memories vanished with the ancient forest.

Today, the idea of a pure, pristine forest is lost forever, never to return to its robust and dynamic body. "The Lost Pristine: Memory of a Vanishing Forest" invites us to reflect on the importance of preserving nature and the memories it holds, beyond its economic worth.