Grasshopper Republic

Filmed over the course of three seasons, the film follows a local team of grasshopper hunters. Two distinct universes collide in an explosion of emotion. A powerful and visually impactful reflection on the relationship between humans and nature and our collective impact on it.

“Grasshopper Republic” focuses on the peculiar cycle of grasshopper harvesting in Uganda. When the grasshoppers come from the sky – “from the moon,” according to local legend – they are trapped by hunters who set up improvised giant and dangerous devices to capture them in swarms before selling them in markets by the sack. The film highlights a profitable yet destructive activity – one that closely ties humans to animals, global warming to ecosystem destruction, and economic growth to food resource sustainability It is a stunning and cinematic spectacle, but Daniel McCabe does not simply position himself as a mere observer. He captures both the beauty and monstrosity of the practice, offering an immersive exploration of a unique and local phenomenon from his Western perspective. He then encourages the viewer to reflect globally on our modern world: its limits, its destruction by humans, and its collapse.