Getting to the heart of the matter

Writer Elaine Davie

No doubt about it, humankind is incurably curious. In centuries past, intrepid explorers risked life and limb on rickety sailing boats bucketing around the seven seas, while others braved the icy wastes of the Arctic. All to see what was on the other side. More contemporary adventurers have launched themselves into space, daring once more to venture where no man has gone before.

For the past two and a half years, two young Hermanus film-makers, Michael Raimondo and Justine du Toit have been on a different voyage of discovery. What started as a fun project, a spin-off of their Green Renaissance travels to different parts of the world to make wildlife documentaries, has become an all-consuming passion to pin down what makes us humans human – getting down to the heart of the matter, you may say.

Since July 2017, Michael and Justine have produced one short film a week – each about five minutes in length – in which they have invited people to talk about what makes them who they are: what gives them joy, what makes them sad, how they have navigated difficult circumstances in their lives.

The 135 films they have made so far (about 12 of them featuring locals) are like small gems, unrehearsed, authentic, with no hidden agendas and handled with the lightest of touches.

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