Christopher Munch’s extraordinary films, all of which have screened at the Sundance Film Festival, use quiet restraint to dodge reductionism, allowing viewers to derive the meaning for themselves. Letters from the Big Man is no exception.
In the breathtaking, remote wilderness of southwestern Oregon, Sarah Smith, a hydrologist, embarks on an expedition to conduct a government water survey. An intrepid outdoors woman, Sarah craves a solo journey so she can reconnect with herself and nature. Venturing deep into the forest, she intuits another presence. Gradually, the elusive figure reveals himself to be a Sasquatch, and the two interact tentatively. As their bond intensifies, Sarah finds she must take bold steps to protect the Big Man’s privacy, as well as her own.
You can almost sense the rustling of trees and fresh air as Munch reverently explores the possibility of communicating directly with the ineffable mysteries in nature, fashioning a powerful metaphysical love story with resonance for our times.