Directed by Marie Amiguet and Vincent Munier

Trekking along the Tibetan mountaintops’ beautiful scenery and miraculous snow, with Nick Cave and Warren Ellis in your ears, both accomplished musicians in the twilight of their careers, what could be better? What exactly could make this journey across the highlands even better, let me think… Oh, that’s right. Mountain lions! Find a single person who disagrees with me, I dare you. The real shame is that these little machines are really hard to find, but luckily, we’ve got some accredited photo-and-filmographers on board directing the whole show to ensure that we’ll probably see one… maybe…. If we’re lucky.

Thus is the life of a passive hunter, one who seeks wild game for beautiful portraits and not delicate meals, which is exactly how we’ve found ourselves in this situation in the first place. The Velvet Queen places a spotlight on environmental change and poaching, the results of which have been catastrophic losses of beautiful species such as the one we’re looking for: the snow leopard. So, while obviously I’m not going to thank those type for limiting our odds at getting a look at one of these things, it does make for a soaring journey as we’re taken over 20,000 feet above sea-level – and may I say, it’s certainly impressive how much ground was covered, and tremendous patience practiced, over what I recall being a single three-week stay. You cannot say that this stacked roster of talent doesn’t try to satiate our bleeding appetites for a peek at this gorgeous little kitten.

Luckily in the meantime while we wait there’s no lack of content with a particularly present narration combing over the film, interlaying context, elaborating subject, and overall, almost clubbing audiences over the head with its blunt force observations. Climate messaging, specifically advocating for the health of the Earth, is buttered across the surface of The Velvet Queen, and for good cause. It’s a problem that’s preventing us from seeing Snow Leopards, and it is also killing us – but at time it must be said that an inanimate object would’ve had this messaging drilled into it’s very being by the time the credits roll.

I’ve barely touched on the soundtrack, which alongside the beautiful vistas are amongst some of this documentary’s finest moments. When left to its own devices, nature steers the narrative of The Velvet Queen while stupefying audiences in its depth. When the directors let is breathe, this one’s mesmerising.

The Velvet Queen is showing in selected cinemas across Australia from November 10th

Moviedoc thanks Madman for the invite to the screening of this film.

Reviewed by Zak Wheeler for Moviedoc

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