Observations at 65° South is a documentary directed by Lillian Hess.  It was selected for and screened at the 2022 Frozen River Film Festival in Winona, where I viewed in online, which was an option due to COVID concerns.

It follows a team of nine scientists, each with their own skills and specialties, as they spend several months studying the changing environment in Antarctica while traveling on a tiny sailboat. The group lives and works together in cramped quarters and hostile conditions to study the shifts in the Antarctic environment.

The greatest strengths of the film are the scenes of interaction between the scientists, and the film’s multiple shots of Antarctic wildlife and landscapes paired with composer Alexander Bradley’s score. The movie excels at balancing scenes showing the bonds and shared passion between the scientists with scenes reminding the viewers why they’re all there: to study the untamed majesty of the furthest corner of the globe.

The best moments in Observations are startlingly brief. The music swells as we see an orca whale break the surface of the water. The sailboat’s crew excitedly watch a leopard seal hunting a penguin. In short, the film is best when we see the Antarctic through the lens of passion and wonder that the scientists do.

That being said, there are areas where the film could be improved. While a runtime of less than 68 minutes might not seem long at all, keep in mind the briefness of the film’s highest points. A large portion of the film is taken up by the lead-up to these moments. This is, after all, a film about being on a boat for the better part of a year. It’s bound to drag a bit. That’s not to say I wouldn’t recommend the film, however.

The film may be slow for some, but anybody sharing a passion for nature like the film’s nine central protagonists should thoroughly enjoy it.