The Messenger
Directed by Su Rynard
The Messenger
For thousands of years, songbirds were regarded by mankind as messengers from the gods. Today, these creatures have woven inextricably into the fabric of our environment and are vanishing at an alarming rate. Under threat from climate change, pesticides and more, populations of hundreds of species have dipped dramatically. As scientists, activists and bird enthusiasts investigate this phenomenon, amazing secrets of the bird world come to light for the first time in the acclaimed and visually thrilling documentary The Messenger. Find out what's killing our songbirds, and what can be done about it. As in ancient times, songbirds may once again be carrying a message to humans - one that we ignore at our own peril.
Reviews
"The arguments are persuasive, the message from the birds powerful, and the film a rich and satisfying call to action that is presented with some novel ideas for how to restore the ecological balance." - The New York Times Critics' Pick
"According to Su Rynard's provocative and beautiful documentary The Messenger, today's songbirds are delivering us a message of global proportion: Modernity is killing them, and if we don't do something soon, it might destroy us, too." - LA Weekly
"Traveling the world to spotlight challenges and solutions, filmmaker Su Rynard never loses sight of the [songbirds'] sheer beauty, or their emotional and symbolic pull as perceived intermediaries between the earthly and spiritual." - The Hollywood Reporter
Awards
BEST CONSERVATION PROGRAM - Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival
Top Ten Audience Award - Hot Docs
Special Jury Award - Visions of Nature/Voices of Nature Environmental Film Festival
Special Mention for Best Documentary - CinemAmbiente
Best Environmental Film Prize - Festival de l'Oiseau et de la Nature, Abbeville Cedex /France 2016
Winner: Best of Fest - International Wildlife Film Festival Missoula, Montana
Winner: Best Theatrical Feature - International Wildlife Film Festival Missoula, Montana
Nominated for Best Cinematography in a Feature Documentary - Canadian Screen Awards
Nominated for Best Editing in Feature Documentary - Canadian Cinema Editors Award
Interested in bringing The Messenger to your school or library? If you'd like to have an in-class viewing, on-campus screening, or purchase the DVD for your library's collection, please contact Estelle Grosso at EDU@kinolorber.com or call (212) 629-6880 with your request.
The Messenger may also be available with Public Performance Rights (PPR) and Digital Site Licensing (DSL) for colleges and universities. To purchase the DVD with PPR or DSL, please contact Estelle Grosso at EDU@kinolorber.com or call (212) 629-6880. Click here to learn more at Kino Lorber Edu.
To read more about Kino Lorber Edu's terms of use and ordering information, visit Kino Lorber Edu.
| Venue | City | State | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacajewa Audobon Society | Bozeman | MT | 1525924800May 10, 2018 |
| McNamara Field Naturalists Club | Arnprior | Ontario | 1475121600September 29, 2016 |
| Cleveland Museum of Natural History | Cleveland | OH | 1475035200September 28, 2016 |
| The Empire Theater | Belleville | Ontario | 1474862400September 26, 2016 |
| The Gem | Keswick | Ontario | 1474171200September 18, 2016 |
| Festival Des Oiseaux de la Cote-Nord | Les Bergeronnes | Quebec | 1473998400September 16, 2016 |
| Plumas Audubon Society | Chester | CA | 1471665600August 20 - August 21, 2016 |
| North American Ornithology Conference | Washington | D.C. | 1471492800August 18, 2016 |
| The Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory | Lions Head | Ontario | 1470456000August 6, 2016 |
| Utah Film Center | Salt Lake City | UT | 1469505600July 26, 2016 |
| Austin Film Society | Austin | TX | 1468123200July 10, 2016 |
| Railroad Square Cinema | Waterville | ME | 1466568000June 22, 2016 |
| Roxy Theater Missoula | Missoula | MT | 1466308800June 19, 2016 |
| Bytowne Cinema | Ottawa | ON | 1466136000June 17 - June 18, 2016 |
| Meaning Movies | Gig Harbor | WA | 1465531200June 10, 2016 |
| Meaningful Movies at Agnus Dei Lutheran Church | Gig Harbor | WA | 1465531200June 10, 2016 |
| Acadia Birding Festival | Mount Desert | ME | 1464753600June 1, 2016 |
| Stockey Centre | Parry Sound | ON | 1464753600June 1, 2016 |
| Mendocino Film Festival | Mendocino | CA | 1464321600and June 4 |
| St. Joseph Public Library | South Bend | IN | 1464148800May 25, 2016 |
| Okanahan College Theater | Penticton | BC | 1463803200May 21, 2016 |
| Fort Sumter National Monument | Charleston | SC | 1463803200May 21, 2016 |
| Kings Mountain National Military Park | Hopkins | SC | 1463803200May 21, 2016 |
| Ninety Six National Historic Site | Ninety Six | SC | 1463803200May 21, 2016 |
| Mountain Bird Festival at ScienceWorks Theater | Ashland | OR | 1463716800May 20, 2016 |
| Congaree National Park | Hoskins | SC | 1463716800May 20 - May 21, 2016 |
| Wenatchee River Institute/Leavenworth Spring Bird Fest | Leavenworth | WA | 1463716800May 20, 2016 |
| Kitsap Audubon | Poulsbo | WA | 1463630400May 19, 2016 |
| Chequamegon Bay Birding and Nature Festival | Washburn | WI | 1463630400May 19, 2016 |
| The Capital Theatre | Windsor | ON | 1463457600May 17, 2016 |
| Gem Theater | Grand Forks | BC | 1463284800May 15, 2016 |
| The Bandwidth Cinema | Winnipeg | MB | 1463112000May 13 - May 19, 2016 |
| The Gorge Cinema | Elora | Ontario | 1463112000May 13 - May 18, 2016 |
| Oakville Mews Cinema | Oakville | ON | 1463025600May 12, 2016 |
| Table Rock State Park | Hokins | South Carolina | 1463025600May 12, 2016 |
| Rio Theater | Vancouver | BC | 1462939200May 11, 2016 |
| Monmouth County Audubon Society | Red Bank | NJ | 1462939200May 11, 2016 |
| Music Box Theatre | Chicago | IL | 1462852800May 10, 2016 |
| Martha's Vineyard Film Society | Vineyard Haven | MA | 1462680000May 8, 2016 |
| The Vermont Institute of Natural Science | Quechee | VT | 1462507200May 6, 2016 |
| The Loft Cinema | Tucson | AZ | 1462248000May 3, 2016 |
| Gold Town Nickelodeon | Juneau | AK | 1462161600May 2, 2016 |
| Fernbank Science Center | Atlanta | GA | 1461988800April 30, 2016 |
| Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary | Connersville | Indiana | 1461988800April 30, 2016 |
| Arkansas Audubon Society | Morrilton | AR | 1461902400April 29, 2016 |
| City Cinema | Charlottetown | PE | 1461902400April 29 - May 2, 2016 |
| Wildcat Glades Audobon Center | Joplin | MO | 1461816000April 28, 2016 |
| Michigan Theater | Ann Arbor | MI | 1461729600April 27, 2016 |
| Strand Theatre | Rockland | ME | 1461384000April 23, 2016 |
| Media Arts Center San Diego / Digital Gym | San Diego | CA | 1461297600April 22, 2016 |
| Rehoboth Beach Film Society | Rehoboth Beach | DE | 1461297600April 22, 2016 |
| Mary Riepma Ross Film Theatre | Lincoln | NE | 1461297600April 22 - April 29, 2016 |
| Bard College | Annandale-on-Hudson | NY | 1461297600April 22, 2016 |
| The Bookshelf | Guelph | ON | 1461124800April 20 - April 23, 2016 |
| Cinema Le Clap | Quebec City | QC | 1460692800April 15 - April 22, 2016 |
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