Seasons (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

The end of the last glacial period

As the last glacial period comes to an end, ice retreats across the continent and the great European forest is born. The film opens on this vast, untouched woodland, establishing nature as the true protagonist of the story. Humans are not yet part of the landscape.

When

End of the last glacial period

Where

European continent

The first hunter-gatherers

Humanity appears only gradually in the narrative, with small bands of hunter-gatherers moving through the primeval forest. They live as one element among many in a world dominated by nature. Their minimal presence reflects the film's deliberately non-anthropocentric perspective.

When

Prehistoric era

Where

European forests

The domestication of the wolf

The wolf, once a feared predator of the deep woods, is gradually domesticated and becomes the dog, humanity's first animal companion. This pivotal moment marks the beginning of a long and complex relationship between humans and wild species. It foreshadows the transformations that will follow.

When

Neolithic era

The clearing of the primary forest

Growing human populations begin large-scale clearances that wipe out great stretches of the primary forest. The ancient woodland, which had thrived for thousands of years, retreats under the axe and the flame. This represents the first major disruption of the European wilderness by human hands.

Where

Europe

The development of agriculture

Agriculture spreads across the continent and profoundly reshapes the land. Fields, pastures and hedgerows progressively replace the old woodland. Surprisingly, these new rural landscapes will later offer many species a valuable alternative habitat.

When

Neolithic era onward

The rise of the village

The village becomes the demographic base of European society and remains so for millennia. Bell towers rise over the countryside, and the sound of church bells comes to punctuate rural life. The film repeatedly returns to these evocative views and sounds throughout its journey.

Where

European countryside

Medieval clearing monks

During the Middle Ages, monks take on a central role in clearing the remaining forests. Their monasteries and missions expand farmland and push human presence deeper into the wild woods. The bells that echo across the film directly recall this chapter of religious rural expansion.

When

Middle Ages

Where

European monasteries and forests

Rural landscapes as wildlife refuges

The film showcases the quality of rural landscapes in terms of biodiversity. Meadows, orchards, hedgerows and small woods provide many species with a good alternative to the vanished primary forest. These mixed human-nature environments highlight a rare period of relative balance.

Where

European rural landscapes

European wildlife in close-up

Throughout the film, many species are shown in intimate, very close-up shots. These images remind viewers of the beauty and diversity of European wildlife. Nature, not humanity, remains at the very center of the story.

The devastation of the First World War

The First World War sweeps across the European countryside, leaving scars on both the land and its communities. The conflict contributed to the disappearance of the traditional rural society. The film gives this period particular weight as a turning point in the relationship between people, villages and the land.

When

1914-1918

Where

European countryside

The decline of traditional rural society

In the wake of the war, traditional rural life gradually fades away. The bells of the villages ring out over an increasingly emptied countryside. Old bonds between communities, agriculture and the natural world slowly come undone.

When

20th century

Modern disruptions and human dominance

Approaching the present day, humans become ever more present and intrusive in the story of the forest. Contemporary activities continue to disrupt the ecosystems that the film has patiently documented. The film confronts viewers with the consequences of centuries of transformation and destruction.

When

Present day

A question for the future

The film concludes by raising an essential question: after having destroyed so much, will humanity be able to create the conditions for harmonious coexistence with its co-inhabitants of the planet? This final interrogation leaves the audience with the responsibility for what comes next. It closes a journey of millennia with an open-ended call to the future.