Apple Cider Vinegar

What do a kidney stone, a volcano in Cape Verde and an English geologist have in common? This is the riddle posed by filmmaker Sofie Benoot in this brilliant meander between the minuscule and the infinite. Somewhere between a nature documentary and philosophical fable, this puzzle-like film invites us to examine the link between the human body and the planet.

“Apple Cider Vinegar (so titled because drinking such liquids helps deal with kidney stone complaints) is a playful film that is given an added sense of soul and gravitas by Siân Phillips’s melodious voice. Its episodic nature offers up a series of gentle surprises and thoughtful moments as it both celebrates the beauty of the planet while also adding in subtle warnings about dangers to the environment. It is a unique and almost unquantifiable film, but also an engaging and intriguing one.” Business Doc Europe, 14 April 2024

“Apple Cider Vinegar is an essay film if there ever was one, at the intersection of Chris Marker and Patrício Guzman for its philosophical gravitas and Agnès Varda and Laurie Anderson for its playfulness. “ SLANT Magazine, 19 April 2024

“There are echoes of Werner Herzog’s work in Benoot’s approach to her subject. The documentary is wide-ranging, scattershot, pulled in different directions and drawn towards passionate advocates and enthusiastic eccentrics” Screen Daily, 15 April 2024

“Apple Cider Vinegar is an insightful, enjoyable film, and constitutes a valuable contribution to our increasing awareness that we are not separate from each other or the world.” Cineuropa, 15 April 2024

“A kindly meditation on how everything that was and will be is essentially written in our environment.” Movie Going, Oct 2024

“An entertaining exercise in cinematically curious world-hopping free association led by narrator Sian Phillips.” Beyond Chron, Nov 2024

Green Dox Award DOKUFEST Prizren

Matsalu Nature FF - Best Directing Award, Special Jury Mention

Another Way Madrid, Honorary Mention

L´Alternativa Barcelona, Ecozine - Special mention

Visions du reel - International competition, DOKU FEST Kosovo, Camden IFF, Vancouver IFF, Green FF San Francisco, Monterrey FIC Mexico, Imagine Science NYC FF, Viennale, Another Way Madrid FF, L´Alternativa Barcelona, West Lake IDFF, FIFIB - Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bordeaux . INt. competition, Matsalu Nature FF, Ji.hlava IDFF, San Francisco Green FF, West Lake IDFF, RIDM, Rome IDFF, Ethnofest Athens, Cork IFF, Hainan Island IFF, Doc Point Helsinki, Big Sky IDFF, Wisconsin IFF, Tempo FF Stockholm, Portland Eco FF, Ambulante Mexico, Full Frame IDFF, Ithaca IFF - Finger Lakes, Trento Mountain FF

Director: Sofie Benoot

Dop: Jonathan Wannyn

Sound: Kwinten van Laethem and Gert Verboven

Editing: Sofie Benoot and Liyo Gong

Grading: Veerle Zeelmaeckers

Producer: Peter Krüger, Inti Films

Camera: Sony Fs7 with s16mm crop

Lenses: s16 Cooke Varokinetal 10.4-52mm T2.8