CEN2-05. The Arc of Oblivion

US, Feature Documentary, 2023, 98 min

In a universe that erases its tracks, why are we so hellbent on leaving a trace?

From executive producer Werner Herzog and director Ian Cheney. Haunted by ghosts of lost digital footage, a filmmaker begins building a secure, ark-like structure in Maine to house his movies and many collections, which leads to this film’s main question: Why are humans the only animals to archive? To send their art, stories and data to future versions of themselves? Cheney’s obsessive inquiry turns into a sweeping, often playful odyssey around the world – to salt mines in the Alps, fjords in the Arctic and ancient libraries in the Sahara – to illuminate the strange world of archives and memory. The director weaves great cinematography and fascinating interviews from science and art experts – including filmmaker Werner Herzog – into a quirky, masterful film. Subtitled.

Directed by Ian Cheney

Colorado Premiere