Stella Polaris Ulloriarsuaq

Film, 2016
Directed by: Yatri N. Niehaus
Producers: Yatri Niehaus, Laali Lyberth, Nomi Baumgartl, Sven Nieder
87 Min.

Stella Polaris Ulloriarsuaq by Yatri N. Niehaus is a contemplative journey into the soul of Greenland. The film follows an extraordinary art project in which massive icebergs and glaciers are illuminated at night through large-scale light installations. These luminous interventions become the starting point for a reflection on the relationship between humanity, nature, and impermanence.

Niehaus combines breathtaking landscape cinematography with the voices of Greenlandic residents, who speak about their lives, traditions, and the profound changes brought about by climate change. Ice emerges not merely as a natural phenomenon, but as a cultural and spiritual point of reference. While the glowing ice formations reveal an almost magical beauty, the film is permeated by the awareness that this very world is under threat and may ultimately disappear.

Behind Stella Polaris Ulloriarsuaq stands an interdisciplinary team of filmmakers, photographers, artists, and Greenlandic cultural mediators. Director Yatri N. Niehaus accompanied the project over many years, shaping it into a film that intertwines art, nature, and social concerns. The project originated from the vision of photographer Nomi Baumgartl and photographer Sven Nieder, who sought to make the Arctic ice landscape visible through artistic light installations while drawing attention to its vulnerability. A key role was played by Laali Lyberth, who coordinated collaboration with local communities and fostered cultural exchange. The team was further enriched by musicians, sound designers, and other creative contributors whose work helped create the film’s distinctive atmosphere.

The result is a production that goes beyond documentation, bringing together diverse artistic perspectives and offering an intimate and deeply human view of Greenland and the transformation of its environment.