Nothing new about trees

Iva Vukotić

The Hidden Life of Trees is a 2020 documentary film. Directors are Jerg Adolf and Jan Haft. It is based on Peter Wohlleben's 2015 book bestseller of the same title. This forester wrote very lively and interesting texts about ecology and forest protection, but he also discovered that trees communicate with each other and that they actually have feelings similar to human. His theses and ideas drew large audiences that gathered to hear his lectures and take walks with him in the woodlands to see for themselves what Peter was talking about.

Considering the popularity of the book, it is not surprising that two German directors, in cooperation with the author, decided to make a film and bring The Hidden Life of Trees to the screen. However, this documentary has certain flaws. Namely, there is a strong sense that it merely promotes the book it was based on. It directly cites passages and chapter headings to bring the most interesting aspects of the story to life. Peter is the main character and the camera follows him through the woods and to the ceremonial halls and stages where he gives his lectures. Still, much remains unclear. The questions that arise are almost impossible to grasp: how do trees communicate, make love, feel pain, experience human presence? Concealing concrete answers in order to read the book is understandable, but in this case the film adaptation seems redundant. It is quite hard to follow the plot because of sudden jumps from topic to topic. It even becomes difficult to know what it is about and what Peter wants to say to the audience around him or to the camera he is often alone with. 

The film features truly fascinating nature shots and the music that accompanies them soothes and relaxes the viewers. But as soon as the audience tunes into these depictions of forests from a bird's eye view, changing seasons, blooming and awakening of the nature, the focus of the camera returns to Peter's lectures in an awkward attempt to merge and intertwine them with the slow shots of the branching canopy. Peter himself essentially does not give viewers any new perspective on the “life” of trees. He talks about environmental protection and the problems that ecology faces. But these are well-known and long-recognized facts that do not expand the viewers' consciousness, as the intention may have been. The trouble with documentaries is precisely the feeling of boredom, stagnation and lack of development of new, clarified information. Unfortunately, this is the case with this German production. If the viewers are not passionate fans of these and similar topics, it is unlikely that the film adaptation of Peter's book will interest and intrigue them even if it was expected to somehow do so. 

This one-dimensionality can also be recognized in the excessive forcing of the main character, namely Peter Wholleben. Although his work is crucial to the development of the film, when only one person occupies the spotlight the whole story can take on a phlegmatic character without the influx of elements that would stir the plot and make it more dynamic. However, all these shortcomings can certainly be compensated by beautiful shots and technical finesse that brings colour and vibrancy to something that could otherwise be interpreted as an advertisement or a promotional video for a bestseller which should probably not be judged on the basis of this documentary. What can be frustrating at times is the anticipation of learning something that can tickle the audience's imagination. Something that can't be found in biology textbooks, or at least an effective skirmish between natural science and environmental experts. Since these segments are absent, what remains is to enjoy the special effects, meditative music and the cheerful nature of Peter Wholleben.