Archipelago of Earthen Bones - To Bunya — Malena Szlam [Cinéma du Réel '25 Review]

Archipelago of Earthen Bones - To Bunya — Malena Szlam [Cinéma du Réel '25 Review]

Whatever else one can say about the merits of experimental film, “it looks expensive” is typically not one of the usual citations. Malena Szlam’s Archipelago of Earthen Bones — To Bunya is the rare 16mm film that could pass for 70mm. The formerly volcanic Bunya Mountains of Australia undoubtedly have plenty of natural beauty, but Szlam thankfully avoids conventional prettiness here. The film that results could easily pass for a montage in an epi…