‘Observer’ Doc Director Ian Cheney on Embracing Bespoke Distribution: ‘We Are Curating an Event That Reminds Us Why We Make These Films’

After the March debut of his latest documentary, “Observer,” at Copenhagen’s Cph:dox, director Ian Cheney took the film on a tour across the United States. Instead of doing the typical film festival circuit, Cheney and the team behind “Observer” have spent the last six months hosting free interactive events centered around the film.

On Wednesday, the film will kick off the 21st annual Camden International Film Festival. That screening will be followed by an immersive observation experience inspired by the doc.

In the 95-minute doc, Cheney brings a series of keen-eyed observers — scientists, artists, and a hunter — to a range of locations around the world and asks them to describe what they see. What unfolds is a thought-provoking journey into the simple but transformative act of observing.

“Observer” is a contemplative, poetic study of slowing down and taking stock. It’s not the kind of celebrity or true-crime documentary that the major streamers crave.