Land of the Far North

In southern Germany, winter can still be admired in all its glory every year. With its white coat of snow and icicles and myriads of small crystals that look like geometric works of art. In the valleys and on the slopes the snow is still so thick every year that the alpine huts are snowed in up to the windows. Cows and dairymen are safe in their farms at lower altitudes. But not the wild creatures of the mountains! They need strategies to survive the cold season and to defy snow masses, cold and ice. And some seem to do it so easily that they even raise their young in the middle of winter. But how do animals, plants and fungi cope with the annually recurring ice age, which from our perspective is a time of need? The many adaptations in nature prove that winter is an integral part of the natural cycle of the year and the living environment of species. They are adapted to cold and frost. That is why the animals and plants at the edge of the Alps suffer particularly from climate change!

Home is where we grow up or settle permanently. And this home is always shaped by nature. Today, we human beings change and shape this more than any law of nature. HEIMAT NATUR is a visually stunning journey through the nature of our homeland, from the peaks of the Alps to the coasts and the depths of the North and Baltic Seas. In between is a cinematic foray through steaming forests, shimmering moors, over rose-blossoming heaths and the colorful cultural landscape around our villages and towns. In extraordinary images this nature is shown from its most beautiful side, examining the state of the native habitats. Slow-motion and time-lapse photography as well as intimate shots of familiar and unfamiliar species, some filmed for the first time, making the film a cinematic nature experience for the whole family.

Most people think they know everything about cows: They stand around in fields. They eat grass, moo every now and then and of course they give milk. They are the archetypal symbols of a rural scene, of everlasting tranquility. But cows are much more than that. Cows are generally held to be peaceful and a bit stupid. However, that's actually a big misunderstanding. Because cows have personalities, they are sensitive, able to learn and socially oriented, but also quite able to defend themselves. In two parts, with spellbinding images, employing new camera angles in an entertaining, unusual and exciting way, this film tells the story of some quite surprising aspects of a cow's life.

In the heart of Europe lies Switzerland. In its midst yet apart from it, like an island. The Swiss Confederation holds a special position not only politically and historically – in particular, its scenic diversity is something really special: majestic mountains, lush green valleys, craggy rock landscapes and Mediterranean lakes all close together in one small geographical location. Switzerland is proud of its distinction and autonomy, reflected amongst other things in its different cantons and linguistic regions. Each episode in our series “Wild Faces of Switzerland“ seeks to do justice to this diversity.