Terra Long’s experimental documentary takes us to California’s Coachella Valley, where date palms are closely intertwined with local community life, culture, and identity. A sensory meditation akin to a daydream in motion, the film unpacks the way these imported Middle Eastern palm trees have directly or indirectly influenced every aspect of daily life, as well as the region’s economy, gastronomy, and festivities. With its hypnotizing cinematic approach, the visual journey of Feet in Water, Head on Fire sweeps the viewer into a waking dream both mesmerizing and evocative, in which every detail of the landscape reveals layers of memory and meaning. (MB)

competition : New Visions Competition

Feet in Water, Head on Fire