The Minimalist Poetics of Ecology: A Study of The Red Turtle

Michael Dudok De Wit's film The Red Turtle is primarily a work of fiction for the modern times which are ravaged by widespread debates and world summits centred around the direction in which the future of humanity on our planet is headed towards. It was made in a minimalist style, with a limited number of characters and no dialogue, hence giving the film a universal scope which is free from linguistic barriers. For this reason, certain symbolic elements that reflect the ecological notions of contemporary times have taken on importance in the narrative. By highlighting these aspects, the narrative further delves into the dichotomy of nature and culture and the intricate links between both which resurface even in the midst of man’s isolation from society on an island. The protagonist’s constant efforts for reinstating himself with society, the visual representation of his dreamscape and the small objects which serve as evidence of human civilization probe into deeper ontological questions of why we constantly strive to reinterpret the surrounding nature with our proper meanings and likewise derive particular categories out of universal abstractions. For the most part, this article analyses the aforementioned questions from the father’s perspective, and the viewer can effectively relate with his turmoil as to having been separated from the society in which he grew up. The subsequent parts of the article present a quasi-hypothetical situation to the viewer by analysing the perspective of his son, a boy who has no knowledge about society per se as he was born and raised on the island. The open ending of the film is the final stage of analysis with which the article has in effect presented a conclusive stance with regard to the ecological concerns of our times during the Anthropocene era.