Directing: A-
Writing: B+
Cinematography: A+
Editing: A

Maybe this is hyperbole, because I have seen so many movies in my lifetime, and even so many documentaries, that I can’t possibly remember them all, so who knows if this claim is accurate. Still, right now at least, I am convinced I have never seen a documentary more beautifully shot than The Velvet Queen.

It all takes place in the largely unexplored Tibetan plateau, with renowned French wildlife photographer Vincent Munier, who has taken French writer and traveler Sylvain Tesson with him on his latest expedition. Their goal, here, is to get rare photos and footage of the elusive snow leopard. Spoiler alert! They get their shots, but not until after weeks of hiking and searching, in weather averaging between 3° and 14°F. Along the way, they get plenty of photos and footage of other fascinating, majestic, or also otherwise elusive wildlife, from birds to Pallas’s cats to foxes to a rare sighting of a Tibetan Brown Bear family.

It should be noted that there is no sense of frustration whatsoever in Munier and Tesson’s endeavors. It takes weeks for them to catch glimpses of a snow leopard, and yet they find joy in the hunt itself. And I don’t mean hunting to kill—just to observe and record. These men, who are both in their mid-forties, have a passion and joy in what they do that is infectious. It never seems to matter what the interest is, it’s always fun to see people do what they truly love.

As such, in contrast to most movies, and even most documentaries, The Velvet Queen features no conflict to speak of. There’s a central challenge, which is the search for the snow leopard, but that’s distinctly different. We’re not watching these people with any hope that they “overcome” any obstacles, because there are none to speak of. A lot of what they endure is astonishing; I’d be whining like a big baby within minutes in those conditions. These guys are as happy as pigs in shit the entire time.

They also have a bit of a relationship with local rural Tibetan farmers, who have young children nearly as fascinated with Munier and Tesson as they are with the wildlife. We see them interact only briefly, in maybe three brief scenes. In one, Tesson is attempting to ask an eight-year-old boy a question, using a Tibetan language book. This is the only time either of these guys show any real frustration, and even this scene is filled with joy.

“Joy” is a somewhat tricky word to use for this film, actually, because for Munier and Tesson, emotion that intense comes in short bursts. Most of the time, a better word might be serene. We get voiceover narration of journal entries, and sometimes see conversations between them, about how contented they are just to pick a spot in the wilderness, sit still, and wait, for hours. As they do this, they get the photos and footage that packs the film that is The Velvet Queen, usually of wildlife but often just of landscapes, all of it stunning and gorgeous. Sometimes, you think you’re just looking at landscape and then you’re informed of the camouflaged wildlife you didn’t even realize was in the frame. In one incredible still shot, the wildcat peering just over the ridge of a rocky mountainside wasn’t even spotted until the photo was reexamined later.

The only slightly odd thing about this film is how it’s presented as though it’s just Munier and Tesson on a trip by themselves, except of course, there is someone else there holding the camera. It’s not just footage we see the two of them filming themselves, and we often get the two of them onscreen together. Title cards at the end of the film note that it was filmed “with a small crew,” and with a crucial goal of not interfering with any of the wildlife—they use wide angle lenses from quite far off, and often discuss how the animals still know they’re there. They never discuss the crew during the film, though, and I often found myself thinking about them.

Whoever shot this movie, they did a spectacular job. The still shots and live footage alone make The Velvet Queen worth seeing. Once they finally get their glimpses of a snow leopard, it’s just icing on the cake. They are overcome with emotion. A couple of tears are shed. I didn’t get emotional in the same way watching it, but it sure was wonderful to watch it happening to others who care so very deeply about something.

Overall: A-