Birders: The Central Park Effect (2012)

A diverse group of full-of-attitude New Yorkers reveals how a hidden world of beautiful wild birds in the middle of Manhattan has upended and magically transformed their lives.

Director:

Jeffrey Kimball

Writer:

Jeffrey Kimball

Stars:

Regina Alvarez, Anya Auerbach, Mike Bryant

Cast

Credited cast:
Regina Alvarez	...	Herself
Anya Auerbach	...	Herself
Mike Bryant	...	Himself
David Burg	...	Himself
Irving Cantor	...	Himself
Chris Cooper	...	Himself
Joe DiCostanzo	...	Himself
John Fitzpatrick	...	Himself
John Flicker	...	Himself
Jonathan Franzen	...	Himself
Dick Gershon	...	Himself
Catherine Hamilton	...	Herself
Jeffrey Kimball	...	Narrator
Harry Maas	...	Himself
Chuck McAlexander	...	Himself

Storyline

Birders: The Central Park Effect reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan's celebrated patch of green and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. Acclaimed author Jonathan Franzen, an idiosyncratic trombone technician, a charming fashion-averse teenager, and a bird-tour leader who's recorded every sighting she's made since the 1940s are among the film's cast of characters. Featuring spectacular wildlife footage capturing the changing seasons, this lyrical documentary transports the viewer to a dazzling world that goes all but unnoticed by the 38 million people who visit America's most famous park each year.

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Plot Keywords:

bird | birdwatching | birdwatcher | new york city | central park | 

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Taglines:

A film about birds and people.

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 March 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Central Park Effect

Filming Locations:

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Other Noises

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits

End credits list over 100 species of birds "starring" in the film.

User Reviews

A fascinating and beautiful film - even if you've not a "birder"

I saw this film at SXSW on a lark and highly recommend catching it on the big screen if at all possible. A film about birds in Central Park, and the people who watch them. It's transfixing in a deeply peaceful way. Standing out both for the incredible video footage of what must have been 100+ species of birds and the set of human stories/testimonials that accompany it. Especially those from a set of old school New Yorkers, who just happen to be birders. The film's title refers to the incredible concentration of migratory birds that stop off in Central Park. A distinctive path of green welcoming to birds as the move along the east coast from north to south. Even though the park itself is not truly natural (being an engineered creation) it makes for a fine habitat that these birds remember to return to each year. There's really not that much more to say other than to urge folks to look for it when it hits HBO in the future. Their documentary arm wisely snapped this guy up