​The “Nature” section presents six films that explore themes of community, environment, tradition, and change in natural settings such as mountain villages and rural areas. Always is a documentary capturing the pure perspective of children from Hunan, China through poems they’ve written themselves. Empire of the Rabbits, set in the Turkish countryside, tells the story of Musa, a young boy who rescues a hunted rabbit and challenges the adult world, offering a child’s view on society and reality.

Hunter Brothers depicts the clash between tradition and modernity through the story of two indigenous hunter brothers in Taiwan, while How to Lease a Cow captures the transformation of traditional herding practices under the pressure of modernization. Both films prompt reflections on identity and ways of life.

Butterfly Bhutan follows Sonam Phuntsho, who tries to protect a tree threatened by the Bhutanese tradition of tying prayer flags, while Dream to Cure Water addresses the issue of glacier melt caused by climate change and the resulting water pollution, showing the efforts of people working to fix the crisis. These films offer a deep meditation on the environment, survival, and sustainability.

― Jinna Lee, Programmer​