It’s been a little while since the last #UbuntuintheWild spot but this one feels like a fitting return given it’s quite literally in the wild!

The wilds of the Eastern Himalayan forests, in fact.

Nature documentary Nocturnes, directed and produced by Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan, follows scientists as they undertake a research trop deep in to these dense, fertile forests to monitor, assess, and learn more about the lives of hawk moths.

I’ll admit: on paper, it doesn’t sound like the most engaging film.

But the critical reception suggests it’s worth seeking out. It’s praised for lush cinematography, a transportive soundscape, and a ‘mediative’ documentary approach offering a rare glimpse at an ephemeral world otherwise hidden from view.

As much of an experience as it is a film.

This is just a random punt.

I haven’t seen Nocturnes myself, but OMG! Ubuntu reader Nicolas has. He e-mailed in to tell me that, mid-way through through the film, Ubuntu makes a fleeting appearance:

“The scientist studying the moths, Mansi, uses Ubuntu. In one scene in particular you can see her screen very well, with a familiar Ubuntu desktop and apps”, he said, adding that the scientist is also using the GIMP image editor to sift through the snaps.

Nocturnes (not to be confused with the horror film Nocturne) premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won awards – although not for ‘best showcase of FOSS software in cinema’.

Streaming availability is, like hawk moths, hard to find right now. The film is popping up at cinemas and indie film festivals around the world and may, in time, land on a streaming service you use.

Should the Ubuntu codenames cycle back to “M” ever again, perhaps a moniker like Mediative Moth might be in order.

Thanks Nicolas!