Mysteries of the Driftless just won an Emmy.
Directed by Rob Nelson, a North Carolina-based biologist, and Dan Bertalan, a geologist and filmmaker from Madison’s Discover Mediaworks, the documentary short traces the ecological significance of the Midwest’s “Driftless Area.” Comprised of parts from Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, and (of course) Wisconsin, the region was largely unaffected by glacial developments and as a result, has retained an ecological uniqueness.
That uniqueness is what Nelson and Bertalan explore in just 26 minutes. From Iowa’s Pikes Peak Park to Wisconsin’s effigy mounds, the extent of their scope is impressive and encompassing. Sweeping plane shots, underwater close-ups of streams’ ecosystems and even shots of the filmmakers themselves shooting footage combine for a surprisingly worldly perspective on a local topic. You can watch the documentary in its entirety below: