Our guest for this episode is the filmmaker and artist, Maja K. Mikkelsen. And the occasion of our conversation is her latest film - ‘The Last Observers’ - which comes out December 18 in the United States and has already been out in Europe.
It’s a brilliant portrayal of a Swedish couple’s 36 year commitment to record the weather, every three hours, every day for 36 years. And for you bird nerds listening, they are based in Falsterbo one of the top destinations for observing the autumn bird migration in Europe, where they initially started their life together ringing birds. And the couple - Karin and Lennart - also happen to be Maja’s parents.
I really love this film because it is shows another way.
The way I see Karin and Lennart is as a different sort of activist. They have a deep contentment and gratitude for what they have in a Western society where the prevailing attitude is for faster, more and better. They also show deep commitment - to each other and to the more-than-human world. Every day, every third hour for 36 years they recorded the weather. And before they took over the weather station, they worked so they could volunteer to ring birds in Falsterbo.
Yes, we need the Greta’s of the world and Extinction Rebellion. But we also need people like Karin and Lennart who push against harmful cultural norms in a much more quiet fashion. Not everyone can or wants to lead a march or get arrested through civil disobedience or free solo El Capitan in Yosemite. They show through Maja’s film that there is more than one way to live and have a relationship with nature and the more than human world.
We’ve talked to some amazing artists this year and I’m glad we are ending the year with one of the most thoughtful. Maja’s film is top notch in my book and many other seem to agree as it earned Best Short Film at Mounatainfilm and Best Cinematography and Best Director at the Ulsan Ulju Mountain Film Festival in South Korea, apologies for what I am sure is not the correct pronunciation.
If you go to patagonia.com/stories, you can find the film or visit majakmikkelsen.com. I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to post a comment to this episode if you’re watching on YouTube or Spotify.
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