The Crimson Wing: Mystery of the Flamingos (2008)

The mysterious lives of flamingos are captured on film with a birds-eye view of the animals living in Africa.

Directors:

Matthew Aeberhard, Leander Ward

Writer:

Melanie Finn

Stars:

Mariella Frostrup, Zabou Breitman, Karoline Herfurth

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Mariella Frostrup	...	Narrator (voice)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zabou Breitman	...	Narrator (French version) (voice)
Karoline Herfurth	...	Narrator (German version) (voice)

Storyline

In a remote and forgotten wilderness, one of nature's last great mysteries unfolds: the birth, life and death of a million crimson-winged flamingos. Against a dramatic backdrop of never-before filmed landscapes, these secretive birds struggle to survive and prevail over danger and fate. This inspiring story, set in the extraordinary 'otherworld' of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania, the cradle of humankind, reminds us: here on earth is a universe waiting to be discovered.

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Plot Keywords:

flamingo | bird in title | animal in title | 

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Taglines:

One lake, a million birds, an incredible story

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lake Natron is unusual in that a sodium crust forms on its surface because of its proximity to a volcano. The film-makers were fortunate in that the volcano erupted during filming, something it only ever does every 40 years.

User Reviews

Great photography & a great musical score

Known simply as 'The Crimson Wing' here in the UK, I remember it causing a bit of a stir when it was released just over a year ago. Of course it all died down pretty quickly and the film didn't pick up any major awards. Needless to say it caught my attention and so when it turned up on TV I decided to give it a viewing.

This documentary tells the story of Lake Natron in northern Tanzania and how every year, after the rains come, a massive flock of Lesser Flamingos comes to the lake to breed. It tells of all the trials and tribulations of the young chicks, of all the dangers they must survive and, yes, there are scenes depicting the fates of those that don't. We are also told about some of the wildlife surrounding the lake and how it gives the flamingos their unique crimson plumage.

A great score and some superb cinematography give this film the edge over other nature documentaries I've seen. There is also a great narration delivered by British TV presenter, Mariella Frostrup which only added to my enjoyment.

It did tend to sag a bit towards the end, but overall quite an enjoyable and informative film. I wouldn't recommend it for the very young, but I think for anyone interested in wildlife its well worth a viewing. Over all, recommended.

My score: 6.8/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Auf purpurnen Schwingen - Das Geheimnis der Flamingos

Filming Locations:

Lake Natron, Tanzania

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,783,519

Company Credits

Production Co:

Natural Light Films, Kudos Film and Television, Kudos Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1