A Body Called Life
2024 · 15m · USA
Directed by Spencer MacDonald
Genres: documentary
Tones: contemplative, tender, whimsical
A self-isolated young man named James spends his days observing microscopic organisms through his microscope, narrating their tiny lives with tender curiosity and developing a massive online following, as he seeks to understand his own place in the cosmos and accept the scars of his past.
Picked by Margot
The scouts
Verbatim Instagram-microbe-poetry as documentary screenplay with a Dan Deacon score — that's a niche I didn't know I wanted filled. My Octopus Teacher comp is a warning sign for sentimentality but the form is fresh.
MacDonald's verbatim adaptation of Instagram microscopy posts is precisely the kind of unexpected source-document gesture that elevates documentary, with Dan Deacon's score adding considerable charm. A genuinely curious form.
15 minutes with screenplay adapted verbatim from the subject's Instagram microscopy posts and Dan Deacon scoring — that's a genuinely unusual found-text approach to documentary structure, and Deacon's twinkly synths are the right tonal partner for tiny-organism wonder. The form mirrors the subject's online voice.
Reviews
I was charmed by the creatures he was able to film through his microscope and the tender lens through which he narrated their lives.
Co-written by James Weiss and director Spencer MacDonald, the film offers a tender look at the metaphysical question of our place on Earth.
Festivals
- Raindance Film Festival 2024, Best Documentary Short
- Palm Springs International ShortFest 2024
- deadCenter Film Festival 2024
- Brooklyn Film Festival 2024
- Bend Film Festival 2024