Urth

The Biosphere 2 complex is located in the Arizona desert not far from Tucson. There, in the biggest enclosed and artificially operated ecosystem in the world, scientists research systems of living organisms. Like these investigators seeking to answer fundamental questions about the sustainability of life on and off Earth, Ben Rivers offers reflections that go beyond the perimeters of the center's buildings. The film is an engaging study of utopian visions that vainly attempt to create an ideal world, but it also explores the relationship of the individual to an artificial environment and its role in the future of humanity. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)