The 2nd edition of LYNX Festival (June 4 – 9, 2024) brings to Romania Morten Hilmer, one of the most famous nature photographers of today. On June 7, in Brașov, he will give a masterclass about rediscovering his passion for photography, starting from his vast experience and the adventures he had photographing the coldest regions of the planet – places like Svalbard, an archipelago covered by glaciers, located more than 500 miles north of mainland Norway.
Polar expedition, photographed by Morten Hilmer
“Chasing my Lost Spirit”, a masterclass powered by Nikon Romania, will reveal to the participants Morten's perspective related to photographic art, centered especially on the concept of being present.
Morten Hilmer began his career as a nature photographer in the early 2000s when he joined the Danish Special Forces, tasked with patrolling the remote coast of Greenland by dog sled for nearly 5 months. This trip brought him closer to the wild nature of the Arctic and completely influenced the trajectory of his life. One of the results of the years of expeditions that followed is the documentary Chasing the White Rabbit, released in 2017, a journey into the depths of Greenland in search of the perfect photo and inner peace.
This year's program includes 13 outstanding documentaries, 9 of which are national premieres.
Entry to all events within the festival is free. In order to secure a place at the screenings of the documentaries, the interested public can reserve a zero-value ticket, starting today, through the iabilet.ro platform: https://bit.ly/BileteLYNX_2024
An important detail to remember is that the ticket secures the seat reservation, but does not guarantee a seat in the hall if it is not scanned 15 minutes before the start of the screening. The complete program of edition number 2 can be found on the festival website: https://bit.ly/ProgramLYNX2024
Arctic fox, photographed by Morten Hilmer
Among the premieres of this year is the documentary Architecture of Nature, produced by the Conservation Carpathia Foundation. This film, directed by Dan Dinu and narrated by Marcelo Cobzariu, tells the story of two species completely different in appearance, but which share the ability to create habitats that support the emergence and development of other species of animals and plants – the bison and the beaver.
“LYNX Festival brings a unique perspective on the beauty and diversity of the wild world, creating bridges through images, stimulating our curiosity and connecting us with our environment. The festival is a genuine way to get closer to nature and get to know it, while at the same time being a step towards understanding the importance of protecting it for our present and future and future generations. Because yes, climate change is a reality of the present, and we are part of it. We believe that we humans need nature to live, just as we believe that nature needs people to understand that we are part of it and that our every action has an impact. We have supported LYNX Festival since the beginning, and the fact that the event became a reality and now returns for the second edition, proves that we are a country with a particularly beautiful nature and people who love this nature. LYNX Festival thus becomes an integral part of our common story and shows us that we are not just passive witnesses of nature, but co-creators of it“, says Victoria Donos, Director of Communication & Outreach of the Conservation Carpathia Foundation.
First in the mountain
The Raven's Tale documentary directed by Michael Schlamberger, a multi-award-winning film that connects natural history stories, unfolding in the Czech forests, with the magic of fairy tales, will also be seen for the first time in Brașov. Animals large and small – from European bison to hamsters and even dung beetles – play their natural roles in this never-ending drama. The documentary was awarded last year at the Deauville Green Awards (France), Green Screen Nature Film Festival (Germany) and Matsalu Nature Film Festival (Estonia).
One of the most appreciated documentaries in last year's profile festivals also arrives in Brașov as part of the LYNX Festival – Wolf / Lupul. The Dutch production, directed by Cees van Kempen, follows in the footsteps of the magnificent species that was almost completely eliminated from Europe in the last few centuries, but which in recent decades has obtained legal protection and made a remarkable comeback. For 90 minutes, viewers will watch how the wolf found its way back from Poland, through Germany, to Holland and Belgium. The film has won 7 awards at international festivals, including the Grand Trophy at the Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam.
The festival will open on Tuesday, June 4, with Songs of Earth (dir. Margreth Olin), produced by Win Wenders, an audio-visual composition of the fundamental forces of the earth, in which the camera takes the viewer inside the most small components of nature, to the wild panoramas outside, a documentary internationally acclaimed in major festivals. Other films already announced are Wild Transylvania (dir. John Murray) – the story of wild life in this region of Romania, Cactus Hotel (dir. Yann Sochaczewski) – 50 minutes of stories built around a Saguaro cactus and Antarctica (dir. Fredi Devas ) – stunning documentary, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, about one of the most mysterious territories on Earth.
More information about this year's exhibitions and activities, as well as the rest of the international guests, will be announced soon.
