Watch Picture of Light

Picture of Light, a documentary film directed by Peter Mettler, released in 1994, explores the wonder and mystery of the Northern Lights. The story follows a filmmaker and his small crew as they trek through the snow-capped wilderness of northern Canada to capture footage of the aurora borealis. The protagonist, Peter Mettler himself, travels to Churchill, Manitoba, one of the best places in the world to see the Northern Lights, to film the rare natural phenomenon. The movie is Mettler’s attempt to capture on film, the elusive and hypnotic beauty of the northern lights. He seeks to capture an essence of light that elusive, and nearly impossible to photograph. His quest leads him to meet and work with a diverse group of characters, including an elderly Inuit man who has lived in the area all his life and witnessed the aurora borealis countless times, a pack of sled dogs who pull his gear across the tundra, and a geophysicist who helps him understand the science behind the spectacular light show.

In the opening scenes of the film, we see Mettler explaining his mission, surrounded by his sound and camera crew. The crew includes his sound man Gavain Connors, The guide, and dogsled owner Brian Ladoon, and Don Lind, retired Canadian Space Agency scientist. The three meet up in Churchill and embark on their journey into the bitter cold of winter in the far north.

As they start their journey, they encounter extreme cold, wind, and snow. Their first few attempts at capturing the northern lights are futile as the weather conditions prove to be challenging. They wait, and gradually the winds begin to abate, and the sky clears, and the spectacle of light that has drawn them north finally appears on the horizon. The footage that follows captures the audience's attention, the timeless and breathtaking beauty of the dancing lights, and the emotions experienced by those who witness it.

Apart from the stunning visuals of the Aurora Borealis, Picture of Light explores the human experience of seeking beauty, of being drawn to the unknown, and of searching for answers to the mysteries of the universe. Mettler’s film is not just about the lights in the sky; it’s also about our fascination with them, and the questions that arise when we contemplate their beauty.

The film explores some of the science behind the auroras as well, including an explanation of how the intense cosmic radiation from the sun interacts with the earth’s magnetic field, creating the mother of all light shows. Through Don Lind, the retired Canadian Space Agency scientist, the movie provides detailed explanations on how the Aurora Borealis occurs. The scientific explanations are presented in a way that is both fascinating and accessible to the layperson, not only adding to the beauty of the Northern Lights but a scientific understanding of them as well.

As Mettler records the beauty of the Northern Lights in real-time, he also records the emotions and experiences of the people involved - the Inuit elders, who see the northern lights as a source of beauty, myth and legend, the scientists who offer explanations, and the filmmaker who tries to capture it all on camera.

Overall, Picture of Light is a visually stunning film that explores the beauty and mystery of the aurora borealis while providing insights into the human experience of seeking to understand its magic. It is a cinematic journey through a landscape of intense natural beauty and scientific mystery that captures not just the Northern Lights themselves but also the human experience of fascination, awe, and mystery. Peter Mettler's Quest is inspiring, and the beauty of the Northern Lights showcased in t his film will leave viewers in a meditative trance.

Picture of Light is a 1994 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 23 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1.