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There have been nature films for years, but I know of nothing that can top this superb production, which is like art-house David Attenborough. ‘Stunning’ is a word easily banded about, but this film does make your neck hairs stand up and eyes open wide with its blend of wonder, humour and a long train of unexpected sequences.

Although it took three years to make, this film purports to portray the insect life in a French field over a twenty-four hour period. It shows the devastation that a simple raindrop can wreak if it lands in the wrong place, and the working life of a host of different insects, some of which look like they have come straight from some Pixar alien movie.

You will laugh and cheer as a dung beetle tries to free his ball from a spike; be perplexed at the behavior of a caterpillar train; and be astounded as a spider builds an air-tight nest underwater, into which it drags a shrimp as its prey. There is even a scene of snail sex, which – thanks also to a majestic operatic soundtrack – is both touching and beautiful.

The extensive extras include other examples of how the music enhances the experience. They also contain material about the five César’s (French Oscar-equivalents) that the film has rightfully won, detailing the work that went into recording these vividly alive creatures in such detail. The viewer will also notice that a director’s distracting moustache looks like it was itself once a wild creature, roaming through Gallic grass.

The care that has gone into this film is remarkable. Yes, it is possible to see the join between the natural shots and set pieces, but any discomfort from that is far outweighed by the effect that the close-ups achieve, the excellent pacing and the sheer otherworldly fascination of much that they have assembled.

YouTube will give you hints of what it is in store here, but this must be watched properly - it is really what Blu-ray was invented for. The front cover snatches five words of reviews from its initial release: “remarkable,” “stunning stuff” and “absolutely astonishing.”  For once this is not hyperbole. My head swam with wonder.

Derek Walker