Wings of Hope Shorts Block

The Unseen
Timo is busy making his nest when he hears a reply to his mating call. Desperate to find his mate, he takes flight, only to find the source of the reply, which is not what he had hoped.

Underbirds: The Fight to Save the Southern New Zealand Dotterel
Nestled in the rugged and remote mountains of Rakiura, Stewart Island, a remarkable story unfolds—one that could slip through the cracks of time unless it is brought to the world’s attention. With less than 126 birds remaining, a team of Department of Conservation Rangers are fighting to preserve New Zealand’s most endangered bird. This is an ongoing battle of not only survival of these critically endangered birds, but the mental health and stamina of the rangers who have dropped everything to be here.

Curlews & Cows
Curlews nest in grasslands, one of the fastest disappearing habitats in the West. Researchers use satellite telemetry to track curlews as they migrate to understand how ranching helps maintain migrating and nesting habitats. Q&A with Jeremy Roberts (director).

Bird-Window Collisions
Bird-window collisions occur when birds fly into buildings or glass windows at high speeds since they fail to perceive and identify them. Such collisions often lead to avian injuries or fatalities. The documentary follows two graduate students, Hsieh Chi-heng and Kan Chia-yun, gradually archiving cases of bird-window collisions and collecting the remains of birds. Together, they preserve the final appearances of these avian victims as evidence of the collisions. Their humble efforts have slowly built up a database for bird-window collisions in Taiwan. The actions of these two young students demonstrate respect and sympathy for life and also give more depth to the definition of “greening cities.

Eye of the Hornbil
A portrait of the colourful birdlife of the Tenasserim mountains of South-East Asia. The forest appears quiet, but deep inside, daily adventures take place under the attentive eye of the hornbill. Today, a monsoon downpour soaks the jungle, and the radiant Black-naped monarch will have to be persistent if he wants to maintain his bright plumage. Secret stories of rarely-filmed birds that will keep unfolding as long as their forest home remains untouched.

Saving the Bone-Swaller
In the heart of northeast India, on a desolate landfill site, a bird once considered a troublesome pest and a carrier of disease, the endangered Greater Adjutant stork scavenges to survive in an unlikely urban ecosystem. Known as the ‘Hargila’ or ‘Bone-swallower’, in the local Assamese language, it finds itself at the centre of a remarkable tale of an image makeover.

Looking Up
In ‘Looking Up,’ the camera turns its lens on three individuals whose lives intersect through a shared love for birdwatching. As the story unfolds, each character opens up about their personal battles with mental health, navigating the turbulent waters of burnout, depression, anxiety, and trauma. This short film doesn’t sugarcoat life’s challenges, but it gently reminds us that sometimes, the simple act of reconnecting with nature—watching birds, in this case—can be a powerful remedy.

Café Y Aves
Coffee farms in Colombia exist in some of the planet’s most biodiverse ecosystems. However, agriculture is putting pressure on biodiversity, causing catastrophic declines in migratory bird species. Farmers are working alongside Smithsonian scientists to devise solutions that will benefit both birds and coffee. Q&A with Roshan Patel (director).

SCREENING
Sunday, 4/21, at 2:15 pm
Monday, 4/22, at 7:45 pm