The American Conservation Film Festival was created by a group of volunteers who shared both a devotion to film arts and a commitment to conservation. Three years ago ACFF screened a short film “Silent Skies” which was in essence, a three minute pre-cursor to The Messenger. I didn’t make it there at that time, so I was delighted to receive the invite present The Messenger at this years fest and present a key-note talk at the filmmakers workshop.
After landing at Dulles Airport I picked up a rental car and headed down a winding road, through the picturesque fall countryside towards Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Much to my chagrin, the road was at first, flanked with Trump for President signs. I found myself clutching the wheel cursing and working up a sweat, wondering if there was anything I could do to break the spell this putrescent demi-god of late capitalism has cast over many US citizens. Driving through this short stretch of road felt like a trip through purgatory, so when I arrived at the National Conservation Training Center, it sure felt like heaven.
Potomac River
I was invited to the festival as a key-note speaker in The Filmmakers Workshop. The festival set out an ambitious agenda for workshop participants with great panelists. Topics ranged from impact film making to pitching to an expo of the latest camera gear.
Highlights of my trip included a peak into the archive with Mark Madison, the U.S. FWS Historian at NCTC. Here they have many treasures – personal highlights include Rachel Carson’s typewriter, her magnifying glass, along with Victorian style bird dioramas.
The Messenger screened Sunday evening to a full house. I was accompanied at the Q+A by Bridget Tinsley , an ecologist with the Potomac Valley Audubon Society, who are doing some great work with Chimney Swifts and Grassland birds.
It is a very exciting fall season for The Messenger. We have just come back from a fall road trip. We also just got word about two more awards and another nomination. There are over 40 fall screenings booked, with more pending, and we’ve had some new media coverage. We are now taking pre-orders on-line and preparing to release DVD’s and Blu rays, so our Canadian office is hopping. The full impact of The Messenger’s film release is certainly not known yet, but we know that outreach and awareness of the pressures facing songbird populations and the potential impact of bird declines on the environment is being recognized by more and more people. Many have said the film is ‘transformative’ for them. The potential for our film to make a real difference in society’s conservation attitudes is enhanced by every grassroots discussion inspired by the movie.
Being on the road with the film is exciting, encouraging and sometimes exhausting. There is a lot of prep work involved and we usually end up working 24-7, but it is really rewarding to interact with local audiences. We can’t attend every screening so we really appreciate organizations like universities, colleges, Bird Studies Canada, the film societies and conservation groups who amplify our work by hosting screening events and participating in Q and A’s.
Su Rynard with audience in Dominican Republic at DREFF
Director Su Rynard made a quick but wonderful trip to the Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF) in mid-September, then went to a special screening at Fleming College in the Kawarthas. (not too far from her cottage).
Film participant Michael Mesure took time from FLAP’s busy bird rescue work in Toronto to head north to Pefferlaw, with Producer Diane Woods to attend a special fundraising screening event for a wildlife refuge called Shades of Hope.
Social media and community outreach is critical for us to let audiences know about screenings. We could not do the outreach work we do without our subscribers and Facebook Fans support and the dedication of our screening co-ordinator Cayley James.
Cayley liaises with community groups and looks after a lot of the event details. Thanks Cayley!
At the end of September, I went to some Ontario screening events in Belleville, North Bay, Sudbury and New Liskeard. More about that under the mini-tour heading below.
More Awards
On October 11, at the Pariscience Awards Ceremony in Paris, France, the Messenger was awarded the prestigious Prix Buffon from the ‘Jury Bioversité’. The award was presented to our French co-production partners Films a Cinq and ARTE France.
After the film screened at the North Bay Film Festival, the audience poll voted The Messenger as the Favourite Feature Documentary.
Earlier this year we received the 2016 Carl Nunn Media and Conservation Award from Ontario Nature. The film was recognized because it “raised awareness of the mass depletion of songbird populations around the world.” Diane Woods and Su Rynard were there to pick up the award.
The Messenger is currently nominated in two categories at the Dutch International Science Film Festival. Categories: The NTR Audience Award and the Youth Jury Award.
Stay tuned to see if we have more announcements in November.
Mini-Screening Tour
Before I left to head out on a road trip for a Northern Ontario mini-tour, The Messenger played for one night at the fabulous Empire Theatre in Belleville. Jerry Archer from KX96 Radio moderated the September 26 event and I was joined by Peter Fuller, Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory and John Hirsch, Quinte Conservation for a Q and A following the film.
Then, on Friday September 30, I started the scenic drive north from the Toronto area. My first destination was Sudbury, and the drive up hwy 69 with the changing fall colours was spectacular. The Messenger opened that evening at Sudbury’s newly renovated Imagine Downtown Movie Lounge.Phil Strong, our composer and sound designer who is a Sudbury native was in the city visiting his family, so it was great he was able to join me for the Q and A. David Pearson and Chris Blomme from Laurentian University came out to participate in the discussion too. Thanks to Laurentian Film Studies Prof Hoi Cheu for setting up the sound system and bringing student volunteers to help with the event. A special shout out to the Giles and Strong family members who made it opening night and Lorraine Dupuis who put up movie posters for us.
On Saturday October 1, I participated in a panel with other industry producers at the North Bay Film Festival about ‘getting your film into film festivals’. The whole thing was streamed live on Facebook, so that was a new experience for me! It was very encouraging to hear the other producers talk about the great opportunities for filmmaking that are taking place in northern Ontario. Canadore College’s digital cinematography professor Dave Clement moderated the panel. If you scroll down on our Facebook page to Oct. 1 posts, you can watch it there.
On October 2nd we had over 160 people at the festival screening of The Messenger in the impressive theatre at the Capital Centre in North Bay. Moderator Adam Contant from KISS FM Radio, introduced me and the film. Afterwards Paul Smylie from Nipissing University and Richard Tafel from the Nipissing Naturalists Club joined us for a Q and A. We had a number of educators who made the trek out on that rainy Sunday morning to see the film, so thanks to them and everyone else for being there to ask such thoughtful questions.
When festival co-ordinator Holly Cunningham later informed me that The Messenger was the top audience documentary choice for the festival, I was a bit stunned. What a lovely surprise and wonderful way to enhance our road trip!
Final Stop on the Tour
Proud to be showing at the Messenger at the Empire Theatre in New Liskeard, part of the City of Temiskaming Shores
Although I have worked in the tv/film industry for over 20 years, and produced many hours of Television programs, The Messenger is just the third independent documentary I’ve produced. It is the first feature film I’m involved with to have theatrical release, so I was really pleased to wind up the mini-Northern Ontario tour in my hometown of New Liskeard. I still have family in the area, so it was wonderful to share the film with the local community at the Empire Theatre in its full theatrical glory on October 3rd. Drew Gauley of the Temiskaming Screening Room film society kicked off the event. After the screening we had another interesting Q and A discussion. The town is located in the ‘Little Clay Belt’ agricultural area of Northern Ontario and there are many farms nearby, so the issue of ‘pesticides’ and ‘free roaming cats’ were hot topics.
L-R Glenn Scott, Bruce Murphy, Joanne Jackson, Mike Werner, Terry Phillips. Photo by Sue Nielsen, The Temiskaming Speaker
The Q and A was moderated by Temiskaming Secondary School science teacher Glenn Scott.
I was joined by Bruce Murphy and Mike Werner from The Hilliardtown Marsh Conservation Centre and Terry Phillips, District Director of the Grain Farmers of Ontario. Prior to the event, we had some wonderful local media coverage too, thanks to a Twenty questions article in the Temiskaming Speaker by reporter Sue Neilsen and a Morning chat interview facilitated by CJTT station manager Gail Moore and Radio host Jack Morin.
Check out the commercial they made for the film! Just click on the audio file below.
More Campus screenings are currently taking place, and more are being booked. Find out where & how here. Educators and libraries can now order educational copies too. (with public performance rights) in the new Educators section of the Messenger’s website at www.theMessengerdoc.com
Special thanks to Mary Jackson, Darlene Jackson, Jennifer Gravel, Shelley Jackson and Patti Dubois (my sisters and sister-in-law) for helping to promote the screening and assisting me at the screenings.
Jennifer Gravel in front of the Empire Theatre
Thanks to Telefilm Canada for providing marketing and promotion assistance for The Messenger.
If you would like to contact me about the film, please email joanne@songbirdsos.com
The award-winning documentary The Messenger is teaming up with Bird Studies Canada to tour Canadian University and college campuses this fall. The tour kicks off this evening at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Each screening will be followed by a discussion led by local conservation and biologists. For more information on campus locations, dates and times, see https://songbirdsos.com/screenings/canadian-screenings/
Confirmed campus locations and dates include:
September 21 – Dalhousie, Halifax, NS Hosted by professor Cindy Staicer.
September 27- McMaster University – Hamilton, ON Hosted by Instructor Greg Zilderbrant
September 28 -Ottawa University – Ottawa, ON Hosted by Professor Scott Simon
September 29 – University of Saskatchewan, SK – with Professor Christy Morrissey and Kiel Drake from Bird Studies Canada
October 2 – Mount Allison, Sackville, NB, followed by Q+A with Bird Studies Canada and Environment Canada
October 2 – Fleming College, Lindsay, ON hosted by the City of Kawartha Lakes Environmental Advisory Committee with Director Su Rynard and FLAP’s Michael Mesure in attendance
October 5/6 University of Victoria, followed by Q+A with Dr. David Bradley of Bird Studies Canada
October 21-23 The Antigonish International Film Festival, NS – Home of St.Francis Xavier Univeristy
October 25 The University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC followed by a Q+A with Dr. David Bradley of Birds Studies Canada
November 9 Queen’s University, Kingston ON
November 9 The University of Guelph, ON followed by a Q+A with Dr. Ryan Norris and others
November 10 – The University of Windsor, ON
November 10 McGill University, Montreal, QC, presented by Le Nichoir
November 15 Lakeland College, Vermilion, AB
Date TBA – The University of Western Ontario, ON
Date TBA – The University of Regina, SK
Date TBA – York University, Toronto, ON with Bridget Stutchbury
“We are delighted to be introducing The Messenger to students and educators across the country” says Director Su Rynard. “Since its premiere at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival, The Messenger has wowed audiences the world over at more than 30 international film festivals and played in over 100 Cinemas. We are really pleased the film has been so well received. We hope it is will inspire people to make a difference for not just birds, but the planet too.”
The Messenger is an international story with high stakes global consequences. The film argues that the decline of songbirds is due to human activity, signalling an uncertain shift in an already fragile ecosystem while warning the uncertain fate of songbirds might mirror our own.
A Hot Docs 2015 ‘Top Ten Audience Favourite’ The Messenger has received several awards including The Best Conservation Program from The Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival plus a Canadian Cinema nomination for Best Cinematography in a Feature Documentary and Ontario Nature’s Carl Nunn Impact Award.
Filmed on three continents, The Messenger features a number of Canadian scientists including biologist Dr. Bridget Stutchbury, (Author Silence of the Songbirds and Professor, York University) Erin Bayne, (Biology Professor, University of Alberta) and Dr. Christy Morrissey (Avian Ecotoxicologist, University of Saskatchewan) and citizen scientist Michael Mesure from FLAP. More on the film participants here. https://songbirdsos.com/featuring/
Without a doubt, The Messenger is the most outstanding film I’ve seen on birds. The fact that it is so strongly science-based, so emotive in its pitch, so beautiful in its design it captivates me and everyone who has had a chance to see it.” – Steven Price, President, Bird Studies Canada
A free study guide will soon be available for educators who wish to use The Messenger in classroom discussions.
Campus organizations wishing to request a screening as part of the tour should send request a screening here.
To book an interview or request an appearance by the filmmakers or the participating scientists, contact:
90 MIN English, (or English with French subtitles)
Directed by Su Rynard
Written by Su Rynard and Sally Blake
Produced by Joanne Jackson, Sally Blake and Martin de la Fouchardière,
Diane Woods and Su Rynard
SongbirdSOS is a Canada/France co-production
Produced by SongbirdSOS Productions and Films à Cinq/ARTE
Produced with participation from the Ontario Media Development Corporation Film Fund,
CBC, ARTE, Canal D and the Rogers Documentary Fund, Canada Media Fund, CNC,
Telefilm International Co-production office, Rogers Telefund, Procirep-Angoa
and the Documentary Organization of Canada.
Developed with the assistance of the CFC-NFB Documentary Program, OMDC,
National Film Board of Canada & David J. Woods Productions.
US Distribution Kino Lorber, International Sales ZED
Distributed in Canada by SongbirdSOS Productions Inc.
Marketing and promotion assistance by Telefilm Canada.
Special thanks to First Weekend Club, Women Make Movies, Hot Docs Deal Maker,
Sunnyside of the Doc and National Outreach partner Bird Studies Canada.
This summer we have had many unusually hot days, and with the heat comes the memory of another very hot summer day when we filmed with Dr. Lyle Friesen and Dinuka Gunaratne in Waterloo, Ontario.
Dr. Lyle Friesen (formerly with Environment Canada) has been studying Wood Thrush in the region of Waterloo since 1996. These songbirds are in serious decline, but without clear answers as to why this was happening, Lyle knew he had a mystery to solve.
“Since 1970 the population of Wood Thrush in Canada has declined by 85%, that’s just an astonishing number.”
Our day of filming started with a lucky shot of a Wood Thrush on her nest. We were hoping to capture behavior so we patiently filmed this shot for a long time, waiting for this songbird to forage, wiggle, eat or sing — any action for the camera! However we ended up in a stand-off.
The Wood Thrush knew we were there and simply froze. The only movement we could see was the occasional blink of an eye. She seemed to believe that if she stayed absolutely still we would not see her. This was likely a tactic to defend her nest, which apparently is serious business for a Wood Thrush.
“We found and monitored almost 900 nests and about half of the nests fall prey to predators, yet we’ve never seen a predator at a wood thrush nest.”
Lyle and his team set up a series of infra red camera’s and installed ‘nest cams’ at the nests. Over the course of several years, Dr. Lyle Friesen documented an amazing night-time woodland drama.
We created a short video documenting the process of Lyle’s research. This video features amazing footage that reveals who the mysterious predator is, as well as their modus operandi. watch: https://youtu.be/i57Mou6HiEE8
What we learn from Lyle’s work is that the world is becoming a less friendly place for Wood Thrush. Predation in itself is a natural phenomenon, but in this case the reasons behind its dramatic increase are anthropogenic. Humans have modified the landscape and upset natures balance — with devastating consequence for Wood Thrush.
Embraced by audiences the world over – The Messenger has had critical festival and North American theatrical success. Rest assured this is hardly good-bye for the award-winning documentary about songbirds. Many educators have been asking us if the film can be shown on campuses, in schools and in libraries. Yes, we want The Messenger to be seen and discussed by educators everywhere! In fact we are even organizing a Canadian Campus Tour in partnership with our National Outreach partner Bird Studies Canada. It kicks off in September.
Ontario Teachers Federation event
The Messenger is the most scientifically sound and beautiful film about songbirds I have ever seen. You heart will be opened to their plight and your brain to the action you can take to help save them.
Steven Price, President, Bird Studies Canada
Those who have seen the film will understand its power to enlighten and challenge students of all ages. Teachers and instructors will find the film inspires interesting discussions about our environment. It can also be used to explore interdisciplinary connections to the avian issues that are depicted in the film.
Check back in to our Educators page, late October as we will have a free study/discussion guide available for teachers.
Here are just a few subject areas where we think the film has relevance.
Climate change
Loss of Habitat
Nature’s influence on Art and Culture
Biodiversity
Biology
Protecting the environment
Agriculture and pesticide use
Urbanisation and city planning
Advancements in tracking Technology for animals
Careers in environmental science and biology
Women in Science
Nature conservation
Photography and Filmmaking
Beyond the subject matter of the film is its innovative approach to capture the film’s subjects in some ground-breaking cinematography. A vital tool for filmmaking students working in non-fiction and fiction alike!
Educational DVD’s and Blu Rays have bonus material including behind-the-scenes footage, and a deleted scene.
The film is currently available for Educational use in the USA through our distributor Kino Lorber.
Canadian libraries and schools can now pre-order The Messenger with institutional/educational and/or public performance rights for late fall delivery. Details here.
Another leading Bird conservation organization had this to say:
The Messenger is riveting, emotionally engaging, and visually extravagant from the first frame to the last. Up-to-the-minute facts on how birds communicate about environmental change are interwoven with gripping stories about the perils faced every year by these amazing world travelers. This is a must-see movie for anybody who values the natural world or wonders about its relationship to humans.
John Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
As stunning as The Messenger is in theatres, we expect the film will be appreciated on many small screens in classrooms around the world too.
