Watch Quand j'aurai vu les iles

Gradually closing in through the mist on an island from a boat's fore, Quebecoix director Catherine Martin finds a sort of mystical wonder in the striking rock formations and impenetrable forests of Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve (located at the mouth of the St. Lawrence River). Hers is one entry in the group of thirteen that deploys its collaborating musicians sparingly, preferring to let natural sounds (notably the intense wind) accompany gorgeous shots of land, sea and sky. This contribution to the "National Parks Project" series marking the Canadian system's centenary is among its strongest. - Dennis Harvey