Filmed over eight years, acclaimed photographic artist Chris Jordan’s first documentary unfolds on Midway, a remote North Pacific atoll. This is the world’s largest albatross colony, where over 1.5 million of the legendary birds dwell amidst the eerie remnants of a WWII military base. From our first glimpse of a wobbly, slightly clownish-looking bird preparing to fly, an unlikely love affair develops. Erotic mating dances, extraordinary hatching/feeding scenes, and birds in flight are all set to a gorgeous score. These isolated birds do not fear humans, nor the camera’s unprecedented gaze. Looking deeply into our souls, an unforgettable and intimate connection transpires. Yet, as the parents scoop up food for their chicks from flying forays thousands of miles out at sea, we learn of a hidden danger, “one surreal consequence of our collective choice,” as described by Jordan. “I didn’t know I could care about an albatross,” he confesses. Nor did we.
IN PERSON: Director Chris Jordan, Producer Victoria Sloan Jordan
Sponsored by:
Teresa Wolf
Thank you to our community partner Wildcare.
Thank you to our community partner
Marin Audubon Society.