Peter Houlihan

Through the relationship between Maria Prata and her grandmother, Laura Góes, the documentary explores why so many people prefer not to confront issues related to the climate crisis despite the wealth of available information and the occurrence of recurring global tragedies. The film interweaves the pair’s walks through the century-old garden the family matriarch planted in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro state with interviews featuring prominent figures who have, in one way or another, engaged with this conversation.

In their quest to identify the pollinator of the ghost orchid for the first time, a team of explorers, photographers, and filmmakers spent three summers standing waist-deep in alligator and snake-laden water, swatting air blackened by mosquitoes, and climbing to sometimes nausea-inducing heights. They came away with a startling new discovery – and an even deeper love for Florida’s wildest wetlands – revelations that may help to conserve both the endangered orchid and its shrinking home.