High up on the Tibetan plateau, among unexplored and inaccessible valleys, lies one of the last sanctuaries of the wild world where rare and undiscovered fauna lives. Vincent Munier, one of the world's most renowned wildlife photographers, takes the adventurer and novelist Sylvain Tesson (In the Forest of Siberia) with him on his latest mission. For several weeks, they'll explore these valleys searching for unique animals and try to spot the snow leopard, one of the rarest an... (Full plot summary below)
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High up on the Tibetan plateau, among unexplored and inaccessible valleys, lies one of the last sanctuaries of the wild world where rare and undiscovered fauna lives. Vincent Munier, one of the world's most renowned wildlife photographers, takes the adventurer and novelist Sylvain Tesson (In the Forest of Siberia) with him on his latest mission. For several weeks, they'll explore these valleys searching for unique animals and try to spot the snow leopard, one of the rarest and most difficult big cats to approach.
Leave your thoughts about The Velvet Queen.
| Washington PostMichael O'SullivanThere’s plenty to look at while we’re waiting for the titular Queen, and it’s often quite pretty: Shots of rabbits, sheep, deer, yaks, foxes, pikas, bears, other big cats and a miscellaneous assortment of birds abound. But this is not your typical Animal Planet or National Geographic film. |
| Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleGorgeous, humbling, looking out-, up- and inward, the documentary The Velvet Queen is the rare nature film about not only beauty and beasts but also the very human urge to make sense of our place in it all. |
| VarietyGuy LodgeThis elegant, unusual documentary shifts the role of the game-spotter from that of non-violent hunter — in pursuit of one prized target — to passive but duly wide-eyed observer, accepting but also appreciating the limits of our access. |
| The Irish TimesTara BradyBy the time we finally see the leading lady, La Panthère des Neiges – as the film was called at home – has long since privileged the journey over the destination. |
| Chicago TribuneMichael PhillipsThis is one of those poetical nonfiction eyefuls determined to make its primary subjects seem like they were alone with their thoughts, their camera equipment and their expectant yearning. |
| RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoThe Velvet Queen is at its strongest when it allows for silence on this gorgeous landscape, using only its mesmerizing score to elevate the imagery into something poetic about the beauty of mother nature. |
| Little White LiesNatasha JaggerIt’s a hypnotic lesson in watchful photojournalism, offering an insightful take on a quest to liaise with wildlife in its natural habitat – in this case, the rare Tibetan snow leopard. |
| IndieWireTambay ObensonWhether it prompts genuine introspection, or even inspires further conversation on what Tesson argues, may provide some measure of how effective the film is. But whether or not viewers put any stock in his proclamations, it’s also perfectly OK to simply celebrate the grandeur in nature that the documentary exalts. |
| The New York TimesBen KenigsbergThe movie operates on two basic levels. One is philosophical, as the camera watches two men who are themselves looking through viewfinders experience the sensations of a place where humans rarely disrupt the natural order. |
| Slant MagazinePat BrownLong stretches of the film are simply mesmerizing, but both Sylvain Tesson’s written compositions and the conversation between him and Vincent Munier often lapse into clichés about the distractions and decadence of modern society. |
