In Les Racines Sauvages (international title “The Wild Roots”), the forest resembles an old house abandoned by humans. It seems to be haunted, but not from any presence or ghosts, but rather the lingering memories of its former inhabitants. Unlike an inanimate stone house, this house is alive.

What happens to a forest when it is left alone? Does it continue to grow, impassive, in a dreamless sleep, or does it remember us, keeping a feeling of bitterness? Can it grow angry? These are the questions that the protagonists of “The Wild Roots” ponder as their story explores fear and the theme of Belonging. It delves into the complexities of how we can still feel connected to something we no longer fully comprehend.

Beneath its horrific surface, “The Wild Roots” primarily serves as a tale about the modern struggle for humans to find their place within a nature that increasingly feels foreign to them.

While it touches upon ecological aspects, I wanted to approach this theme from a fresh perspective, eschewing the common catastrophic or post-apocalyptic scenarios often seen in such narratives. Instead, it focuses on humans seeking their place again in a house where they used to live in, a long time ago.