Welcoming ICE GRAVE to our Lineup – World Premiere at DOK.fest Munich

We’re thrilled to welcome ICE GRAVE, the latest documentary feature by acclaimed French filmmaker Robin Hunzinger, to our lineup. The film had its World Premiere at DOK.fest Munich 2025 on Saturday, May 10 at the Filmmuseum, as part of DOK.international Competition, followed by a Q&A with Robin.

A hauntingly poetic exploration of one of the most mysterious chapters in Arctic exploration, ICE GRAVE traces the doomed 1897 expedition of Salomon August Andrée, Nils Strindberg, and Knut Fraenkel, who set off to reach the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon and vanished without a trace. Their story was resurrected in 1930 with the chilling discovery of their perfectly preserved remains, journals, and undeveloped photographic film—ninety-three images that bring the lost journey eerily back to life.

The film unfolds like an archaeological thriller, blending ghostly imagery and personal writings with the reflections of contemporary voices: historian Tyrone Martinsson, author Hélène Gaudy, and physician Bea Uusma. It’s a meditation on the lure of the unknown, the fragility of ambition, and the stark beauty of a rapidly changing Arctic.

ICE GRAVE is produced by Cédric Bonin for Seppia (France), in co-production with Malcolm Dixelius for Dixit International (Sweden) and Karl Emil Rikardsen for Relation04 Media (Norway), with the support of ARTE France and SVT.

This marks our second collaboration with Robin Hunzinger, following the success of Ultraviolette and the Blood-Spitters Gang. We’re honored to continue this creative partnership and to represent ICE GRAVE internationally.

Hunzinger, a student of Jean Rouch and Jean Douchet, has forged a distinct voice in documentary cinema. His previous work has been widely recognized, screening at major festivals including Cinéma du Réel, Rotterdam, Thessaloniki, and Lussas, and earning accolades such as the Ahmed Attia Award at MEDIMED and the Grand Prix at Traces de Vie.

Stay tuned for updates as ICE GRAVE embarks on its international journey!