Winged Migration (2001)
"Le peuple migrateur" (original title)

Documentary on the migratory patterns of birds, shot over the course of three years on all seven continents.

Directors:

Jacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud,

Writers:

Jean Dorst, Stéphane Durand,

Stars:

Philippe Labro, Jacques Perrin

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Philippe Labro	...	Narrator (English version)
Jacques Perrin	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

This documentary follows several species of migratory birds over a four year filming period. These birds travel several hundreds if not thousands of miles toward the equator in the autumn, and make the return journey to their higher latitude summer homes in the spring, always taking the same route, using the natural compasses of the universe, the stars, to find their way. Some species, like the arctic tern, even fly from pole to pole. These long and often torturous treks are a matter of survival, to live in a hospitable climate and find sources of food. With the exception of migratory penguins, travel over oceans is especially difficult as the birds have little refuge unless there is something floating on the water, such as a ship, on which to land. Otherwise they must continue flying until they reach land. Some will not survive the migration due to predators, including man, illness or injury. Although the migrations themselves are done as a community, once the birds reach their ...

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Plot Keywords:

bird | migration | arctic | ocean | flight | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

BAC Films (French) Official site [us]

Country:

France Italy Germany Spain Switzerland

Language:

English French

Release Date:

12 December 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

Winged Migration

Filming Locations:

Abbaye, Mont Saint-Michel, Manche, France

Box Office

Budget:

FRF 160,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$138,750 (Australia) (27 June 2003)

Gross:

$10,762,178 (USA) (12 December 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bac Films, Canal+, Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 81 min

Sound Mix:

DTS-ES Dolby Digital EX

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmmakers exposed the eggs of some of the birds to the sounds of people and film cameras so that the birds would not be afraid of them later.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: The story of bird migration is the story of promise - a promise to return.

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Connections

Featured in Lost: Par Avion (2007)

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Soundtracks

"La Forêt Rouge"
Performed by Robert Wyatt

User Reviews

Incomparable Beauty

Each shot of this pheonominal documentary has been painstakingly worked on for over four years and it shows in one of the most beautiful and moving cinematic experiences I've ever witnessed. This is a documentary that celebrates and illustrates the beauty in life through a new set of eyes that we've never used before. For those of us who can't be globe trotters, for those of us who admire the tremendous live show that nature puts on for us every day, and for those of us who have always dreamed of flying, this is the movie to sit back and take in this wonderful experience. Some of the images are so beautiful to witness, they may move you to tears out of sheer beauty. How many scripted movies can do that?

This should have won Best Documentary.