We are thrilled to share the exciting news that The Messenger is being released in select Canadian cinemas!  Please share this news with your family and friends, so they see the film in its full theatrical glory.  

Toronto, ON    February 18, 2016 – On the heels of a successful American theatrical launch in 40+ markets, THE MESSENGER’S Canada-wide theatrical release kicks off Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Carlton Cinema in Toronto.

Nominated for a 2016 Canadian Screen Award for Best Cinematography in a Feature Length Documentary, THE MESSENGER, an international story with high stakes global consequences, mesmerizes audiences with stunning slow-motion sequences of songbirds in night flight – all the while chronicling the struggle of songbirds worldwide to survive the turbulent environmental conditions brought about by humans.

Akin to the disappearance of the honeybee or the melting of glaciers, the film argues that the global demise of songbirds signals an uncertain shift in an already fragile ecosystem and explores our deep-seated connection to birds, while warning that the uncertain fate of songbirds might mirror our own.

 

“Humans share an ageless bond with birds, their song and their persistent presence in our lives. In ancient times, humans looked to the flights and songs of birds to predict the future. Songbirds are disappearing at an alarming rate, and this points to changes in our world.  Now is a critical time for our climate and ecosystems. Today, once again, birds have something to tell us, and I wanted to amplify their message.”   

~ award-winning Toronto director Su Rynard 

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Moving from the northern reaches of Canada’s Boreal Forest to the vast prairies of Saskatchewan, the wetlands of Turkey’s Mount Ararat, and to the busy streets of urban Toronto, the scientists, activists and bird enthusiasts featured in THE MESSENGER bring us face-to-face with the beauty of these airborne music-makers and with the remarkable variety of human-made perils that they face: the destruction of our forests, our lethal architecture, predatory pets, human gourmets, industrial agriculture methods and the alarming use of pesticides. All of which are causing the disappearance of songbirds at a disquieting pace. At the same time, THE MESSENGER vividly mixes its elegiac message with hopeful notes and unique glances into the influence of songbirds on our own expressions of the soul.

 

 

 

 

A Hot Docs 2015 Top Ten Audience Favourite and winner of the Best Conservation film at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, THE MESSENGER leaves viewers with a profound appreciation for the billions of birds with whom we share our communities and our planet – and with hope for our collective ability to turn the tide.

 

 

 

 

Canadian Theatrical Release:

Set to release in the following markets:

Friday Feb. 26 | The Carlton Cinema | Toronto, Ontario

Sunday  Feb. 28 | The Loft | Cobourg, Ontario

Friday Mar. 4 | Globe Cinema | Calgary, Alberta

Friday Mar. 4 | RPL- Theatre | Regina, Saskatchewan

Friday Mar. 4 | Princess Cinema | Waterloo, Ontario

Sunday Mar. 6 | The Roxy | Uxbridge,  Ontario

Tuesday Mar. 16 | Broadway | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Friday Mar. 18 | ByTowne Cinema | Ottawa, Ontario

Friday Mar. 18 | The Vic Theatre | Victoria, BC

Saturday Mar. 19 | The Metro / Garneau | Edmonton, Alberta

Sunday March 20| The Rio Theatre | Vancouver, BC

Monday April 11 | Cinema du Park | Montreal, Quebec

The Messenger is also screening at upcoming Film Festivals in the US and Canada including Wakefield PQ, Kingston ON, Belleville ON, Salt Spring Island BC and  Haida Gwaii  BC.   If you don’t see your city or town on the list, you can request a screening here. 

Check here for American cities where the film is playing.

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2015, 90 MIN
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. Meet the creative team behind the film. 

The Messenger is being released in Canada with promotion and marketing assistance from Telefilm Canada and the support of The First Weekend Club.  National outreach partner is Bird Studies Canada.  Film Funding partners here. 

For downloadable press materials, please go to the Press kit section of  the company website.

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For more information, to request a screener for movie review purposes, photography and to set up interviews, please contact:

 

LIFT PR | Erin Bodley | erin@liftpr.ca | 416.825.2941