The Jackman Humanities Institute Program for the Arts presents: Heeding The Messenger (Songbirds and the Scale of Climate Change) Friday Nov 6, 2020 in cooperation with the IHPST, Victoria University, and Cinema Studies Institute, University of Toronto
Heeding the Messenger is a one-day interdisciplinary event inspired by, and culminating in, a screening and round table discussion of Toronto film-maker Su Rynard’s 2015 documentary film The Messenger. Echoing the mythical role of birds as divine messengers, the film sets out to discover what we should learn from the recent and rapid decline of migrating songbirds around the globe. In concert with scientists, naturalists, activists, museum curators and concerned citizens, Rynard follows the migration routes of songbirds to critical points of observation–from downtown Toronto to deforested Costa Rica, drought-ridden Turkey, and Manhattan’s 9/11 memorial–seeking insight into the ecological and environmental causes and consequences of songbirds’ decline.
Heeding the Messenger brings together STS and sound studies scholars, participants in Rynard’s film, and the director herself to explore the themes and issues raised in the film and by the plight of songbirds in general. Engaging local and global perspectives, speakers and participants will speak to multiple aspects of contemporary climate change, offering a multivocal and multifaceted account of affective and ecological dimensions of the Anthropocene.
Birds in Flight 10:15 Welcome Iris Montero (Brown University) Into the Archive of Trans-species Migration in Greater Mexico Kristoffer Whitney (Rochester Institute of Technology) Migratory Birds, Shifting Habitats, and the “Lost” Science of Phenology Rachel Mundy (Rutgers University) Song at the End of Modernity 12:00 Lunch Break The Messenger 13:00 Screening of The Messenger, a documentary by Su Rynard 15:15 Roundtable Discussion Su Rynard (Film Director) / Bill Evans (Old Bird, Inc.) / Michael Mesure (FLAP) / Chris Guglielmo (Western University) / Alejandra Martínez-Salinas (CATIE) / Çağan H. Şekercioğlu (University of Utah) Bridget J. Stutchbury (York University) 17:30 Conclusion
All events are free and everyone is welcome. Please register here: https://messenger.eventbrite.ca to receive the link to the online event and documentary screening
Event organized by Lucia Dacome, Angelica Fenner and Rebecca J.H. Woods in collaboration with Oana Baboi and Sarah Qidway.
Lucia Dacome is an Associate Professor and Pauline M.H. Mazumdar Chair in the History of Medicine in the IHPST. Angelica Fenner is an Associate Professor in the Cinema Studies Institute at Innis College and in the German Department of St. Michael’s College. Rebecca J.H. Woods is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History and in the IHPST.
“In Birds Art Life, writer Kyo Maclear embarks on a yearlong, big city adventure chasing after birds, and along the way offers a luminous meditation on the nature of creativity and the quest for a good and meaningful life.”
I recently finished Kyo’s Mclear’s memoir Birds Art Life and I was sad to put it down. It felt as if I was just getting to know someone – someone who shared my passions and the questions I have about the world around me. It was a conversation that I didn’t want to end!
“Birds Arts Life” is an astute memoir of connection and discovery, a distilled crystal-like celebration of the small and significant, the imperfect and the struggling, and the liberating effects of keeping your eyes and ears wide open.”
Through four seasons, and guided by a new companion, Kyo discovers the world of birds. These are the birds that pass through our cities and our yards. The birds that float on our lakes and rivers, both the remarkable and the unremarkable. Her words are a refreshing break from the sensational and newsworthy events that seem to shout at us every day. She reflects on small things that create meaning in our lives – a choice is both bold and honest.
“Helen Humphreys ‘The Evening Chorus’ is brilliant evocation of an unforgettable time and place and a natural history of both the war and the human heart.”
The Evening Chorus is a work of fiction that interweaves three compelling stories: James Hunter, who spends the second world war in a POW camp. His young wife Rose who, in James absence falls in love with another man, and James sister Enid who forms a friendship with Rose that alters the course of all of their lives. Notably, for those interested in birds the character James Hunter is inspired by the real life birdwatcher John Buxton. Buxton, while held captive as a prisoner of war in WWII, studied a family of redstarts and wrote a book about his observations. Today this book is still regarded by many as one of the most comprehensive single-species studies ever undertaken.
The writing throughout The Evening Chorus is beautiful. Rooted in the rhythms and imagery of nature and featuring chapter headings named after various flora and fauna, this novel is moving, meaningful and a pleasure to read.
You can pick up Birds Art Life or The Evening Chorus at your local bookstore or through any of the major on-line retailers. I really loved reading these books and highly recommend them. ENJOY!
Can’t say enough good things about Dominican Republic Environmental Film Festival (DREFF).
This was a very different kind of film festival.
DREFF is an initiative of Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (GFDD) and the Global Democracy and Development (FUNGLODE) Foundation. Their goal is to promote environmental films and raise the level of public awareness.
They do this by connecting the film a dedicated audience. The Messenger was paired with several high school groups and screened at different locations in Santo Domingo. Teachers had prepared the students for the screening (including assignments) so they were very attentive! Filmmakers accompanied their films into the classroom, engaging in lively Q&A’s. It’s great to see environmental films reaching these younger audiences and to see these audiences connecting with the material.
The screenings were rewarding, as was the company. All filmmakers stayed in the same hotel, and spent many wonderful evenings talking — exchanging ideas, perspectives and stories from around the globe. Our screening days took us in very different directions, as many filmmakers travelled all over the Island to present their works to a variety of cities, towns and communities. Programming included films from Chile, the Yukon, South Africa, the UK, the USA and more.
Personal Highlights included a walk through the botanical garden accompanied by a local bird guide who pointed out many resident species that I had previously never seen or heard.
On the last day of the festival we participated in a beach clean-up. Hundreds of people were present, combing through layers of debris, most of which were discarded plastics. The site of all this garbage along the beach was sobering. Shocking as it seems, recycling programs are rare in Caribbean countries and there is so much waste! (What ever happened to glass bottles and deposits?) And bottled water is such an environmental tragedy on every level).
While the beach clean-up left us with the feeling that so much work needs to be done, the festival was a shining example of what can be done, and what is being done with positive and tangible impacts.
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
They do this by connecting the film a dedicated audience. The Messenger was paired with several high school groups and screened at different locations in Santo Domingo. Teachers had prepared the students for the screening (including assignments) so they were very attentive! Filmmakers accompanied their films into the classroom, engaging in lively Q&A’s. It’s great to see environmental films reaching these younger audiences and to see these audiences connecting with the material.
