Victor Kossakovsky's new documentary explores trees as sentient beings at Venice

At the upcoming Venice Film Festival, Victor Kossakovsky will present Holy Wood Dust, a documentary that delves into the sensory world of trees in partnership with Italian botanist Stefano Mancuso. The film, produced by Be Water Film, Solaria Film, RAI Cinema, Oceanika, Allegra Films and Doppelplusultra Filmproduktion, will screen in the Venice Open - Out of Competition section on Sept. 6. Kossakovsky says the work stems from a childhood lesson about plant pain and aims to foster empathy toward trees, which he claims possess up to 20 senses and can live for centuries.

The narrative includes striking visuals, such as a helicopter delivering a Christmas tree toward the Vatican, and features discussions with children about the ecological value of forests. While not a wordless piece like his earlier films, the documentary continues his “empathy trilogy” by urging audiences to reconsider trees as living beings rather than mere ornaments.