How Long Is “Ice People”?

While the mainstream world rolls on indefinitely, a small group of researchers traverses the snow-capped region around the South Pole for months at a time. Working in constant sunlight yet subthermal conditions, these collegiate scientists (the "Ice People" of the title) search aggressively for lingering geological traces of an ancient world now obscured by thick layers of ice. Thus begins Anne Aghion's deliberate, observational documentary, which carries the audience on a day-to-day journey with its subjects. The geological team consists of two undergraduate students and two highly esteemed professors; though they are all but cut off from the rest of the world, they experience a tremendous sense of rapport and intimacy with one another, almost by default. The men and women also soak up the terrestrial splendor of the surrounding environs, yet struggle to adjust, emotionally, to the prospect of 24-hour sunlight. They remain steadfast in their commitments to their work, however, and in their undying need to unveil evidence that will impart even a passing glimpse into a history of long ago.