Home Movies, Landscape Theory and Film Education: A Case Study from the Polish Archive of Home Movies

The article is a preliminary study to further research of home movie archives in the context of representing the landscape of the Anthropocene and identifying the relations between humans and their environment in the manifestations of visual culture. The introductory section explains the choice of home movies as the subject of research. In addition, the context of an anthropological understanding of landscape in Tim Ingold’s concept and its relevance for film studies is presented. The next part of the paper is a case study of the Bełżeccy Family Archive from the Polish Archive of Home Movies project, with particular emphasis on examining the film’s form and style in portraying the landscape. The final part contains conclusions and suggestions for transdisciplinary research paths, connecting the exploration of home movie archives with visual culture studies and natural sciences. The presented reflections are meant to inspire educational activities. There are also six examples of tasks to be modified and elaborated by teachers according to group preferences.