#Demián Bichir became a treehugger after filming ‘Land’

Demián Bichir, a self-described “city rat,” might be outdoorsy now.

Bichir, 57, filmed “Land” with Robin Wright high up in the mountains of Alberta, Canada, for 29 days and walked away knowing he wouldn’t be the same.

“I think this film will change many things in me forever,” Bichir said following the movie’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday. “It was just perfect timing for me. This is actually the first time I hugged, I give a tree a hug.”

The Oscar-nominated actor said there was one film in particular that was “looking at” him through a particularly emotional scene for his and Wright’s characters, and when filming completed he felt compelled to say goodbye to it.

“When we wrapped I just stood up and went for a hug,” he recalled, laughing. “It was such a beautiful feeling to hug a tree. I don’t remember ever having done something like that, so many things have changed.”

Wright, who previously said she was inspired to take on this project because of “ugliness” in the world, said the “healing properties of nature” act as “medicine” for people, including her.