Byline: Matt Emma
For Swiss cinematographer Zohar Varadi, the documentary Where We Once Roamed is more than just a film—it’s a culmination of instinct, grit, and a deep commitment to visual storytelling grounded in truth.
Raised on the edge of motion—capturing BMX and freeride skiing—Varadi learned early how to follow unpredictable subjects with both speed and elegance. That foundation shaped the way he approaches every project, especially those that resist control. Where We Once Roamed, filmed in the frozen expanse of Montana’s Blackfeet Nation, demanded that same improvisational instinct.
“We were on a tight budget, so no extra luggage and limited rentals,” Varadi explains. With little room for testing or excess, he chose gear that could meet both creative and environmental demands: an Alexa Mini paired with a Cabrio zoom. “I packed some extra batteries that I stuffed in each crew member’s carry-on, as the cold was bound to drain batteries faster.” It was guerrilla filmmaking in its purest form—survival-based, but still rooted in vision.
Originally planning to drive from Los Angeles to Montana to haul more equipment, the team ultimately flew, forcing Varadi into a stripped-down, reactive shooting style. That constraint, he says, became a blessing: “I wasn’t stopping a scene to move the subject into a place for the sake of light or framing. I had to constantly be on my toes so that the cinematography would earnestly tell the story.”
That philosophy came to life the moment the team met Ethan Runningcrane, who was initially just a local contact but quickly became the heart of the film. “When meeting Ethan, we just clicked,” Varadi recalls. “Everything fell into place from then on.”
Even as friendships developed, Varadi maintained his commitment to authenticity. “My job was to let the story unfold,” he says. “To know they had a friend behind the lens allowed [the subjects] to relax and be themselves, rather than overthink.”
Respecting the culture of the Blackfeet Nation was his top priority. “I knew that I couldn’t enter this space with needs and wants but rather keep an open mind and let the story unfold in front of the lens.” His wide compositions and minimal camera interference were designed to allow the audience to “feel as if they were there and choose what to focus on in that frame.”
In terms of team dynamics, the pressure of extreme weather and the intimacy of shared space turned four filmmakers into a collaborative unit. “We had to be frank with each other or things wouldn’t go well,” he admits. Once trust was established, “I could solely focus on the cinematography.”
Looking back, Varadi reflects with clarity: “Letting the experiences guide the story and cinematography really let the film speak for itself. All I had to do was capture it.”