LEONARD GABRIEL ALECU
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A FILMMAKER? AND IS ICE BREATH YOUR FIRST FILM PROJECT?
My visual upbringing rests on photography. The black-and-white aesthetic of large format film photography is the keystone of my artistic practice. My travels to Greenland were driven solely by photography. In many ways, it feels as if Ice Breath emerged on its own. It is a deeply personal, inner journey - a moving image of my relentless pursuit of the stillness of a perfect photograph, the haunting chase of the ideal spot. What began as a mere idea grew into an all-encompassing obsession: the remnants of photography evolved into an autonomous and compelling body of visual research. This process gripped my work and reshaped my perspective on both my practice and its subject matter.
Ice Breath appears simple and uniform, but it is layered and multifaceted. On the surface, the film portrays the effects of climate change, highlighting the fragile balance of our environment. Beneath this outer layer unfolds a profound personal narrative and existential introspection. It is a journey that compelled me to reflect on my place within a transient realm that feels both immense and ephemeral - a mirror of impermanence and the fleeting nature of existence itself.
This exploration transcends the ecological lens. It ventures into the spiritual and philosophical space, moving beyond observing humanity’s impact on nature to confront the transient beauty of life and the inevitability of disappearance. Witnessing the transformation of ancient frozen landscapes drew me into a dialogue with the unknown - a space where questions about purpose, time, and our role in the greater whole emerge with striking clarity. Each year of filming brought something irreplaceable - something unexpected, singular, and unrepeatable. Although the film is now complete (or is it?), I still feel an irresistible urge to continue this journey - a quest that is both cinematic and profoundly personal.
WHAT OBSTACLES DID YOU ENCOUNTER WHILE MAKING YOUR FILM?
The hardest part of making Ice Breath was filming near the icebergs. At any moment, massive chunks of ice - sometimes weighing tens of tons - could break off and plunge into the ocean, resulting in certain death for everyone in our small boat. Survival in the freezing polar waters is impossible, as Inuit hunters taught us. Death from hypothermia occurs in less than four minutes - far faster than drowning, which might seem the more obvious assumption. If our boat had capsized, we wouldn’t have stood a chance. The courage and profound knowledge of the Inuit hunters were crucial, safeguarding us from disaster. Their indispensable guidance made Ice Breath possible; without it, the film would never have come to life. Even with their help, we crossed the line of safety countless times, taking extraordinary risks. This was only achievable through a level of determination so intense that it made the danger seem almost irrelevant.
WHAT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS DID YOU APPLY TO SUCH AN UNCOMPROMISING FILM PROJECT?
I wouldn’t call the solutions “creative” in the conventional sense; the artistry lay in capturing creation itself as it unfolded - a profoundly existential spectacle - without imposing any distorting human-made creative elements. Many solutions arose naturally. For instance, the choice of black-and-white cinematography wasn’t stylistic but essential. It stripped away surface distractions, revealing the deeper essence of the subject. Similarly, the ethereal music of John Luther Adams became an integral part of the film’s language. It serves as both a companion to the visuals and an independent force, casting a haunting spell that transcends the narrative.
FUTURE GOALS?
My future work will continue to bridge classical and contemporary classical music with poetic, philosophical imagery. For now, I am focused on completing my current project, which merges desert landscapes with compositions by John Luther Adams.
ABOUT
Leonard Gabriel Alecu is a Romanian photographer and filmmaker / IMDb
