Curiosity and Control

Curiosity and Control is a thought-provoking film about our relation to the natural world. It is a journey through museums of natural history and zoological gardens with reflections on these by historians, architects and zoo directors. It´s a story about wonder, curiosity, control, the urge to protect nature and how to connect with the natural world. The film also portrays the legendary explorer Carl Akeley, who is often called “the father of taxidermy” and his creation of the dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. Included in Curiosity and Control is Carl Akeley’s first ever filmed footage of wild mountain gorillas. These early dioramas were intended to spread awareness about the natural world just as contemporary zoological gardens aim to connect people with nature. As we follow the construction of an extension of Chester Zoo, UK, called “Islands” – an immersion-exhibit resembling South East Asia – the participants discuss whether nature really can be reconstructed. (Tempo Documentary Festival)