“Wild Life” is a visually stunning film that showcases the beauty and diversity of Patagonia’s landscapes and wildlife. It also provides a compelling look at the complex issues surrounding conservation and the role that private individuals and organizations can play in protecting wild places.
A documentary film directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi chronicles the conservation efforts of Kris and Doug Tompkins in Patagonia. The Tompkins are well-known conservationists who have spent decades working to protect and restore wild places around the world.
In the film, we see how Kris and Doug, who were successful entrepreneurs in the fashion industry, decided to leave their business behind and devote their lives to conservation. They moved to Chile and Argentina and began buying up large tracts of land in Patagonia, with the goal of preserving the region’s unique ecosystem and wildlife.
The film follows the Tompkins as they face opposition from locals, government officials, and even some environmentalists who question their methods and motives. But despite the challenges, they persist in their mission, creating several national parks and protected areas in the region.
Director, Chai Vasarhelyi talks to us about what the film means to her. She mentions that it’s about putting one foot in front of another, it’s about the things one can do even though it seems instrumental. In addition, being a woman herself, she said she was always taken by Kris’s story of regeneration – That you can find the love of your life in your late 40s, you can embrace an amazing career, and then realize in your 40s that if you stay there, that’s the end of your life. But, it’s okay to want more, despite how scary that is. She was moved by Kris and the strength she showed to pick herself back up when the worst thing happened to her – that’s what Chai witnessed firsthand and at that moment knew she had to tell her story and a film they had to make.
The movie raises thought-provoking questions about the broader theme of love, including the bond between friends, the passion for nature and mountaineering, and the desire to make a positive impact on the world and leave a lasting legacy.
Wild Life – Now playing in theaters.
