This short documentary from the New York-based filmmaker Paul Szynol finds the late US Poet Laureate Donald Hall (1928-2018) in the autumn of his accomplished life, when his days oscillated between calm solitude and painful loneliness. From his rural New Hampshire home, Hall discusses his career in poetry and the enduring loss of his second wife, the US poet Jane Kenyon, to cancer more than two decades earlier. ‘My companion was her absence,’ says Hall, reflecting on a mourning period that never ended, only evolved. Around him, if only half-acknowledged by Hall, a host of women provide the care that allows him a certain ease in his ageing. Like Hall, Szynol mines poignance from quiet moments and an economy of form, crafting a sparse, atmospheric tribute very much worthy of its subject.
Director: Paul Szynol
Website: Itchy Dog Films
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes
video
Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes
video
Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes
video
Earth science and climate
The only man permitted in Bhutan’s sacred mountains chronicles humanity’s impact
22 minutes
video
Art
‘If you’re creative, why can’t you create a solution?’ One artist’s imaginative activism
17 minutes
video
The ancient world
An ancient Roman’s hilarious (and perhaps relatable) response to a social snub
2 minutes
video
Death
A hunter’s lyrical reflection on the humbling business of being mortal
6 minutes