The New Wilderness

The New Wilderness

Nature reborn 20 miles from Amsterdam

Directed by Mark Verkerk, Ruben Smit

201394 min7.1 / 10

A visually stunning documentary celebrating ecological restoration and the resilience of nature in reclaiming space within one of Europe's most human-dominated landscapes.

At the heart of one of the most densely populated areas of Europe, in a country where every square meter of land has been meticulously shaped by man, lie the Oostvaardersplassen – a unique experiment in letting nature run its course. In just 40 years, 6,000 hectares of newly formed polder has been transformed into one of Europe’s most dynamic and productive wetlands – home to some of Europe’s rarest birds such as the magnificent white tailed eagle, which hadn’t been seen in the Netherlands since the Middle Ages.

Questions people ask

  • Is The New Wilderness easy watching? Yes, very. More comforting than 95% of films.

  • Does The New Wilderness end with hope? Yes, very. More hopeful than 90% of films.

  • Is The New Wilderness sad? Barely. Less sad than 89% of films.

  • Is The New Wilderness scary? Barely. Less frightening than 84% of films.

  • Is The New Wilderness violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

72/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Distinctly its own thing.

Rarity95

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise52

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love72

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like The New Wilderness

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The New Wilderness

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The New Wilderness, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The New Wilderness, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The New Wilderness, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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