Grasshopper Republic

2023 • 1h 34m • Documentary

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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

GhMovieFreak

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

Film Inquiry

A must-watch—especially once its sky explodes with dense, green clouds of harvested grasshoppers.

Sam Machkovech

The Stranger

Grasshopper Republic is one of the most incredible sights to behold.

Alan Ng

Film Threat

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

Cinemacy

Gallery

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