The Forest Is

Author: Marta Medvešek

In the documentary radio play The Forest Is, author Marta Medvešek uses gentle editing techniques to invite listeners into a world of harmony between living creatures and trees – into the forest. There is rest, peace and silence there, but also sawing, weeping and whistling; elegant spruce and beech of thick rustling leaves, severe winters and deer in the moonlight. As in the past so today, in the contradictory junction of safety and danger, a way of life unravels that demands deep respect and total presence.

The play is a tapestry of thoughts from interviews with the natives of Lož Valley. They were shared by Milena Kraševec, Sonja Lipovac, Anton Mestnik, Milena Ožbolt, Andreja Ravšelj, Miha Razdrih, Boža Troha, Fani Truden, Ida Turk, Tone Udovič, Janja Urbiha and Leonida Zalar. With the aid of radio staff, the interviews were conducted by pupils: Aljaž Dujo, Lea Lenarčič, Urh Anton Mlakar, Tadej Mihelčič, Patrik Ožbolt, Urška Ožbolt, Živa Palčič, Vili Strle, Marina Trivunčević and Martina Trivunčević.

The play also includes fields recording of pupils Vili Sterle and Tadej Mihelčič.

The radio crew in the field consisted of Ana Čorić, Urban Gruden, Katarina Juvančić, Marta Medvešek, Ana Obreza and Saška Rakef.

Sound design Marta Medvešek, sound recordist Urban Gruden.

The Forest Is

22. 12. 2023

The Forest Is - Translated transcript

Recorded in the field in September 2023, and in the studios of Radio Slovenia in December 2023

The radio play was created in the framework of the “Whispers of Memory” project and is part of the international project B-AIR: Sound Art for Babies, Toddlers, and Vulnerable Groups led by Radio Slovenia and co-financed by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia.

Testimonials

Author notes on The Forrest Is

In the world where there’s constant talk about global warming and where climate fatigue is a

reality, a question arises for journalists: how can we talk about these burning issues without

putting people off from the start? Suspenseful storytelling is one way. But there is also another,

softer way – engaging a listener in an active act of listening, of slowing down and personal

reflection.

Although montage in itself is not an innovative format, the innovation comes from mixing

urgency with a non-moralizing approach, all while paying respect to the European radio heritage.

The absence of a narrator allows the protagonists to take the listener on a meditative journey. The

narrative arc goes deeper and deeper into the forest, from its healing powers to its dark ends. But

it comes back to the restorative power of nature, leaving the listener with a perspective of hope.

Refraining from the use of music, the composition focuses on the sonic qualities of speech –

intonation, rhythm, poetry – in service of message. A polyphony of voices creates a melodic ode

to the forest, whereas long, immersive soundscapes in contrast with the playful, dense repetitions

reflect a different speed of life between humans and nature.

The radio documentary »Forest is« came out of a bigger B-AIR project, “The Whispers of

Memory”, researching and archiving the heritage of Loška dolina. It was recorded in September

2023 by a team of radio workers, a dramaturg, an ethnologist, and a musical pedagogue, in

collaboration with the local community. An important part of the project is enabling

intergenerational dialogue: the protagonists – reflecting on changes they experienced during their

lifetime – were interviewed by children from the local primary school. The result is a rich sound

archive with about hundred hours of tape, setting a foundation for an on-going, multi-layered

geolocated sound map for future generations.

We believe that this soft montage born out of a local collaboration and raising big questions, can

stir an inspiring debate about how to approach burning issues and serve our communities, all

while creating a rich listening experience for the listener.

Marta Medvešek