The American Journey of Alexander von Humboldt

In 1799, Alexander von Humboldt and the French physician and botanist Aimé Bonpland set out on a research expedition through Central and South America. The first Europeans to journey into these unexplored equatorial regions, they spent almost five years carrying out countless scientific studies, cataloging and classifying the tropical flora and fauna they found there and mapping the rivers and mountain ranges they traveled.

This two-part documentary tells the story of their expedition as well as paying homage to Alexander von Humboldt, the man: A universal scholar and humanist of immense stature.

Part 1: ”Upstream into the Unknown”
Part 2: ”Expedition Above the Clouds”

2 x 50’
WDR, ARTE, Inter Nationes, Humboldt-Stiftung, Goethe-Institut

nominated for “Grimme-Award”