Plot

The Messenger is an artful investigation into the causes of songbird mass depletion and the people working to turn the tide. This visually thrilling film reveals how the issues facing birds also pose daunting implications for our planet.

The film chronicles the struggle of songbirds worldwide to survive in turbulent conditions brought about by humans and argues that their demise could signal the crash of the global ecosystem akin to the disappearance of honey bees and the melting of the glaciers.

Su Rynard's wide-ranging and contemplative documentary THE MESSENGER explores our deep-seated connection to birds and warns that the uncertain fate of songbirds might mirror our own. Moving from the northern reaches of the Boreal Forest to wetlands near Mount Ararat to the streets of New York City, THE MESSENGER brings us face-to-face with a remarkable variety of human-made perils that have devastated these airborne music-makers. On one level, THE MESSENGER is moving, visually stunning journey, one that mixes its elegiac message with hopeful notes and unique glances into the influence of songbirds on our own expressions of the soul. On another level, THE MESSENGER is the artful story about the mass depletion of songbirds on multiple continents, and about those who are working to turn the tide.