Winged Migration

The narrator of Winged Migration tells us that “the story of bird migration is the story of promise — a promise to return”; nowhere is this story more beautifully told than in this thrilling film. Winged Migration follows migrating birds across the world’s many landscapes; soaring through the sky, they give us a new perspective on the incredible diversity of the planet they (and we) call home. Director Jacques Perrin achieved a technical marvel, “casting” some birds before they hatched, establishing a connection between them and his film crew, and attaching cameras to their backs to capture their flight as naturally as possible. Hot air balloons and gliders supplement the stunning footage of remote landscapes. The film avoids heavy-handed narration to let the images (and the birds) speak for themselves. The impact of humans is not forgotten, however, bird species must try, often unsuccessfully, to navigate through the maze of our destruction and control. “Facts are not the purpose of Winged Migration. It wants to allow us to look, simply look, at birds — and that goal it achieves magnificently. There are sights here I will not easily forget” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). Colour, 35mm, in English. 89 mins.