Fragile Earth: Korup - An African Rainforest
(1982)
In the depths of Korup, Cameroon's secluded rainforest, director Phil Agland uses a range of interesting filming techniques and unusual camera angles to capture a diverse range of flora and fauna. Drawing attention to this sixty million year old refugium, the lifestyle and relationships of a cross-section of its three thousand inhabitants are explored from specially built platforms, some 120 feet high in the forest canopy.
A technically stunning portrait of a unique and unspoiled environment, Korup - An African Rainforest was the first ever Earth Sciences award winner at Wildscreen in 1982. Impressive technical photography examines a wealth of species, their evolution, behaviour and social interactions. The remarkable aerial shots combine with close-ups, as monkeys and bats pollinate flowers, and a fungus completely changes the behaviour of a passing ant.
Described by Partridge Films' founder Mike Rosenberg as "absolutely dedicated", Agland spent five years filming this Fragile Earth special. Making the most of the dry seasons, he was forced to leave the jungle at one point to seek treatment for his multiple parasitic infections, returning to continue filming once free of his unwanted guests.
A poignant account of a fragile habitat struggling to survive, Korup - An African Rainforest was an important part of the campaign to declare the area a National Park, helping protect an exotic ecosystem, rich in biodiversity.
Fragile Earth: Selve Verde - Central American Rainforest (1983)
Michael Rosenberg
