Written by Nina van Zyl

A new year and a new edition of Channels for Change! This month, we’re feeling inspired by the visually stimulating and thought-provoking masterpiece that is HUMAN. If your New Year’s Resolution includes making the world a better place, there’s no better way to start than with the January edition of Channels for Change, which will be sure to broaden your horizons and inspire action. Read on for more about HUMAN and why we love it. 

January’s binge: HUMAN

“Each human interaction makes you move forward. Each life story is unique.”

Brief summary 

Director Yann Arthus-Bertrand brings to the front a cinematic journey that tells the story of hundreds of people at once. This is the story of humankind. A story of love, hate, violence, work, and joy. It is a “collection of stories about and images of our world, offering an immersion to the core of what it means to be human.” Spanning more than 50 countries around the globe, the film showcases interviews of the 2000 that were conducted by the filmmakers, interspersed with beautiful aerial footage of landscapes around the world.

The sustainability factor

Overall: 5/5

Director Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN’s Environment Program and is greatly committed to environmental education, and this passion shines through in his film. HUMAN seeks to show us that what might seem like differences overlie an achingly similar human condition. That humankind is connected in more ways than we might think. But it also brings to the fore the ways in which we hurt ourselves, the ways in which our actions affect not only us, but also our home planet. Visuals of scavenging men climbing over massive wave-like trash heaps as they are pushed by trucks. An endless line of workers hacking at the earth, surrounded by nothing but the red rock of an open mine. These are the visuals that stay with you. They make you realise the meaning of privilege. 

The Viatu review  

Themes

With its massive scope, HUMAN manages to tackle quite a few themes. Perhaps the most heartwarming is its discussions on love. A woman in a polygamous marriage tells us that she loves her husband’s other wife. A man recalls how taking care of his dying wife was an act of love that he cherished doing. A father describes the moment his son came out to him. 

These moments of deep-felt emotion are contrasted strongly with the suffering of impoverished people. As one factory worker in China says simply, “I am exhausted.” A woman reflects on how she accepts her work as a prostitute as it affords her siblings a better life than what she had. Simultaneously, an elderly woman from South America enthusiastically exalts the beauty of a field of beans and corn, reflecting a simple joy that can be found in meaningful work.

Production 

Arthus-Bertrand treats each of his subjects with such care. His presence as director simply fades into the background in the face of the stories of his subjects, told with an honesty and intimacy that he’s managed to capture on camera. Interspersed between the interviewees’ stories are the stunning visuals of earth. A young girl dressed in vibrant blue riding a galloping horse on the fresh green steppes of Mongolia. A line of men trudging along atop the seam of a sand dune in a vast desert. Coupled with this is the dramatic music of composer Armand Amar, whose unique score, which is at times optimistic and other times confrontational, informs the emotional backdrop of the film.

What makes it different 

HUMAN is unique in that it manages to portray its subjects in a thoughtful, respectful manner with no judgement to cloud their words. These stories, simply told, create a tapestry of humanity interwoven with universal human truths.

Heart-breaking, tear-jerking, awe-inspiring and visually stunning, HUMAN is a worthwhile visual journey that can help us understand the problems humanity currently faces. Perhaps more importantly, it encourages us to see the similarities between ourselves and others. The universal pains we all feel; the suffering, the love, the joy. We come to realise how we are all connected in our shared humanity. 

We love finding ways of being better citizens of the world, especially when it comes to travelling in a way that is less harmful and more impactful. Follow along on our journey on Instagram or head on over to our blog for our recommendations of other thought-inspiring movies, series and books.