Written by Andreas Babiolakis

We’re covering the Academy Award nominees that we haven’t reviewed yet.

Right at the start of All That Breathes, we see rats perusing the streets of New Delhi and ravaging for food where they can get any semblance of nourishment. I knew going in that this documentary is about the rescuing of black kites: birds of prey that are endangered and important for the controlling of ecosystems in the area. By the film's end, I was conflicted by the start of the film: are we supposed to want those rats to be culled, or cherish that they are living souls? Such is the power of Shaunak Sen's All That Breathes: a minimalist-yet-powerful argument that all living beings should feel loved. As we progress through the documentary, Sen and his team prioritize the capturing of whatever creatures or lives cross their gaze, from geckos climbing up the walls of a rural town, to the snail that lingers around a site that I guarantee any other documentarian would have ignored (the shot even blurs out the rest of the scenery to focus on this snail: I can't even remember what was happening around it because of the impact this shot had on me).

The documentary follows brothers Saud and Nadeem as they look after injured animals, particularly black kites. This devotion stems from the Muslim belief that good fortune comes to those that protect and feed black kites (or at that bad luck would be steered away from those that take care of them): it appears at first that neither outcome has taken place as the film depicts a New Delhi that is being rebuilt but still full of anguish. As All That Breathes cuts from case to case, we see an injured owl, recuperating black kites, and, unfortunately, an entire flock of deceased birds of prey; the latter image is one that the film freezes on and shook me. And yet not once does the film feel hopeless thanks to the siblings at its forefront: their little efforts to make the world a better place ripple throughout the documentary.

Nonetheless, the film isn't completely positive either, as it acknowledges – and mirrors – the inevitability of death and the tragedy of collapsing societies (be they human civilizations, or an entire species' existence) for its entire duration. Sen isn't a filmmaker that just presents his findings to us. He purposefully writes a story with his captured images, although not one of bias, manipulation, or malice. Instead, he takes a premise – two brothers that rehabilitate injured birds – and turns it into an allegorical masterwork that is so much larger than its concept, short duration, and separate parts; it's actually astonishing to watch All That Breathes unravel. I can guarantee most viewers expected something good when they checked out this film, but I can almost guarantee that no one knew All That Breathes would be this monumental (if would be my favourite doc of the year if it wasn't for a particular other opus).

What All That Breathes has to its advantage is a cinematic angle with its photography. Not once does this actually feel like a documentary in the conventional sense, and so much emphasis is placed on allowing the film to – no pun intended – breathe with its mise en scène. The three directors of photography (Ben Bernhard, Riju Das, and Saumyananda Sahi) went to work on this film with artistry being their main objective, and it shows throughout. From a slow pan that obstructs our visual of a subject by placing a wall in between them and us, to the extreme closeups of black kites to display them as creatures from heaven, All That Breathes is overwhelmingly gorgeous. I was hypnotized and watched all of the ending credits, because I couldn't stop watching the film; not just because of the tree shots that we hover over as the credits roll, but I also didn't want the film to end.

I don't have anything against documentaries. Hell, I've ranked an entire list of the top one hundred I've seen (I will likely be updating it in the near future, mind you). However, rarely do I want to rewatch a documentary as soon as it is done. Usually, these kinds of films are heavy and challenging, as there is no escaping what they are telling us (and the subject matters are usually challenging). As soon as All That Breathes finished, I couldn't believe it. It was the last film I needed to see to complete my viewing of every Academy Award nominated film, but that didn't matter to me. All I cared about was wanting to relive this film again. I know All That Breathes is a 2022 film with a late release, but I almost want to consider it a 2023 film so I can crown it the best documentary of the year already (All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is next to untouchable for 2022). No matter what happens Oscar night (Bloodshed will likely win), please watch All That Breathes: one of the most exquisite films you'll see in a very long time. If you are happy by appreciating the little things that give us life amidst hardship, this film will bring you either to tears or a zen state.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.