In z’Alp, Thomas Rickenmann interweaves majestic landscapes of the Swiss Alps, overland travel as animals and their minders move together uphill, and the intimate spaces of family life. He shifts seamlessly among these elements to impart an experience of annual treks from valley to mountain that have been playing out for centuries in Switzerland. Each year, farmers shift their livestock to fields at higher elevations, following the spring as it rolls up mountainsides and thus allowing the lower fields to regrow in time for the livestock’s autumn return. The film features three families, who live in three regions of Switzerland. Rickenmann intercuts their separate journeys to highlight common connections with the environment and the many struggles occasioned by the livestock and terrain. Reflections of the distinctive traditions of the families and their regions occur throughout the film. For instance, a cappella performances of local indigenous folk music accompany many of the landscape sequences. Aside from the bouts of song and discordant but joyful ringing of cowbells, z’Alp is a very quiet film, which gives the viewer space to relax and take in the scenery.