
2023 • 1h 34m • Documentary
Availability
Available Worldwide
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About the film
Part one-of-a-kind nature documentary, part science fiction, GRASSHOPPER REPUBLIC unfolds over the course of three seasons in Uganda, where a local grasshopper-trapping team stalks and captures this elusive prey by the barrelful, pushing their way into remote forests and villages in pursuit of fortune. Meanwhile, specialized cameras transport audiences into the natural world as seen from the perspective of the insects themselves. The result is a strange, beautiful, and breathtakingly immersive exploration of the delicate balance between natural ecosystems and human disruption.
Executive Producer
Ian Hague, Moses Bwayo
Crew
Michele Sibiloni, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, Alyse Ardell Spiegal, Daniel McCabe, Michael McCabe, Antonio Porem Pires, Francis Sengendo
Awards & recognition
Woodstock Film Festival
Honorable Mention Best Editing
Inconvenient Films International Human Rights Film Festival
Emerging Filmmaker Competition Winner
Visions du Reél
World Premiere
ECU European Independent Film Festival
Best Non-European Independent Documentary
Global Cinema Film Festival
Best Cinematography
Riviera International Film Festival
WINNER Sky Documentary Award
Film and Culture Market Uganda at National Theatre
Africa Premiere
Devour Film Festival
Best Feature Documentary
Camden International Film Festival
North American Premiere
Guanajuato International Film Festival
Mexican Premiere
DocNYC
New York Premiere
Big Sky Film Festival
Montana Premiere
Festival International du Film de Nancy
French Premiere
WatchDocs
Poland Premiere
This Human World Film Festival
Austrian Premiere
Stranger Than Fiction Film Festival
German Premiere
Docville
Belgian Premiere
Sofia International Film Festival
Bulgarian Premiere
Pordenone Documentary Film Festival
Italian Premiere
Ecofalante Environmental Film Festival
Brazilian Premiere
Docudays
Ukrainian Premiere
Matsalu Nature Film Festival
Best Editing
What people are saying
‘Grasshopper Republic is a visually mesmerizing and thoughtfully crafted documentary that immerses viewers in the fascinating world of grasshopper harvesting in Uganda.‘
Tony Asankomah
‘Unveiling breathtaking scenes that transport viewers to uncharted territories and seldom-seen events, the film’s allure lies in its ability to cater to niche interests while simultaneously mesmerizing audiences with its multifaceted allure.‘
Kristy Strouse
‘A must-watch—especially once its sky explodes with dense, green clouds of harvested grasshoppers.‘
Sam Machkovech
‘Shot in cinema verité style with special attention paid to spatial structure, director Daniel McCabe immerses audiences into the harvest season of a Ugandan grasshopper trapping team in the reverential documentary, Grasshopper Republic. Mesmerizing close-ups of these intricate and delicate winged insects with vibrant coloring and distinct chirping sounds, display a quality of beauty that is so often overlooked. As magical as they appear, the grasshoppers are more often regarded as a life source for a section of the Ugandan community, both as a bartering tool and in their food supply. Over the course of three seasons, McCabe highlights the tireless efforts of the trapping team and the lengths they go to secure this elusive prey by the barrel load.‘
Morgan Rojas
Gallery