THE FOREST CODE
In the heart of a devastated forest, amidst fallen trunks and exposed roots, two visionary scientists seek a new way to communicate with nature.
Alessandro Chiolerio, a physicist who at times seems more like an alchemist, has installed in the forest the Cybertree, devices of his own invention, a chimera blending technology and biology to capture the electrical signals of plants. He is driven by the dream of a science where ecosystems collaborate with technology.
Monica Gagliano, a visionary ecologist, has explored indigenous wisdom around the world, from the Amazon rainforest to the Australian bush, learning that nature speaks if we know how to listen. Her pioneering work on plant communication and intelligence challenges the conventional paradigms of modern science, paving the way for an approach that merges empirical rigor with ancestral knowledge.
But as the two scientists attempt to connect with the forest, an enigma emerges among the broken trunks and upturned roots: a tiny insect relentlessly advances, carving intricate signs beneath the bark of trees, resembling hieroglyphs awaiting deciphering. A mysterious language hinting at a secret yet to be revealed.
Amid new scientific hypotheses, ancient wisdom, and invisible connections to explore, this film takes us on a fascinating journey seeking a new way to perceive and experience our relationship with nature. A narrative intertwining science, technology, and myth, in which the forest reveals itself as a living entity inhabited by a genius loci with whom we must learn to communicate.
Written and Directed by: Alessandro Bernard and Paolo Ceretto
Featuring: Alessandro Chiolerio and Monica Gagliano
Cinematography: Stefania Bona
Editing: Lucio Viglierchio
Music by Silvia Tarozzi e Deborah Walker, Enrico Ascoli
Produced by: Massimo Arvat for Zenit Arti Audiovisive
With the support of: MIC - Italian Ministry of Culture and Piemonte Doc Film Fund
In collaboration with: Trentino Film Commission
Italian Distribution: OpenDDB – Distribuzioni Dal Basso
Runtime: 93 minutes
Year of Production: 2025
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