The neon lights of downtown Tokyo are a world away from the darkness and cold of the Canadian North. But for many people in Japan, the opportunity to see the acid-etched colours of the aurora borealis is a once in a lifetime trip. Northern filmmakers Fritz Mueller and Teresa Earle set out to discover what fuels this passionate obsession in their new documentary Aurora Love.

Leaving behind the ordinary world of work, chores and school, three groups travel to Yellowknife, in Canada’s Northwest Territories, in search of the elusive phenomena. In amongst the tourist expeditions and sight-seeing, something mysterious begins to happen. The North, in all its silence and expanse, strips away the superficial stuff, revealing more elemental needs and desires. Be it hope, connection or transcendence — the aurora provides different things to each person. But at its heart is a reawakening to the deepest sense of being alive.