Shorts: ‘Birds of the Canary Islands’ and ‘Life on the Rocks’
Within the programming of
Pajareros 2021
The cycle concludes with the screening of two documentaries about the most representative species of the Canary Islands and the Bass Rock, off the coast of Scotland. The two short films travel to these locations to discover truly unique birds by telling the stories of some of their most iconic species.
| Duration: | 2 hours |
Birds of the Canary Islands (Aves de Canarias), directed by Pedro Felipe Acosta. Spain, 2021. 30’
Birds of the Canary Islands, produced by SEO/BirdLife and directed by Pedro Felipe Acosta, a naturalist and renowned documentary filmmaker from the Canaries, is one of the first documentaries to explore the natural riches of these islands by focusing on their avian population. The conquest of the islands by birds and their subsequent evolution into new species is the narrative thread of a work that opens our eyes to this important legacy and the serious conservation problems it faces.
The Canary Islands possess an ornithological wealth of extraordinary value, with nearly 90 nesting species, 12 of which were introduced. This elevated figure makes it the archipelago with the richest bird life in all of Macaronesia. In addition to nesting species, ornithologists have observed more than 325 migratory species, including passage, wintering and accidental migrants.
Life on the Rocks, directed by George Pretty. UK, 2020. 20’. Original soundtrack with Spanish subtitles
The world’s largest colony of northern gannets lives on an ancient volcanic island in the outer Firth of Forth known as the Bass Rock. In the 1960s, June Nelson and her now deceased husband Bryan called it home as they spent three years on the island, studying the birds and their behaviour. In the documentary, June reflects on the time they spent together and the catastrophic loss of marine bird populations across the globe in the years that followed.
Participants in the post-film discussion:
- Pedro Felipe Acosta, director of Birds of the Canary Islands
- Yarci Acosta, SEO/BirdLife delegate in the Canary Islands
Moderated by María García, chair of the Spanish Environmental Journalists Association
*Covid protocol:
- The courtyard’s capacity has been reduced for this activity.
- Fully sanitised headphones will be provided to listen to the speakers.
- Please keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres between yourself and others at all times, even when queuing up at the entrance.
- Please follow the instructions given by attendants and staff of La Casa Encendida when entering/exiting the space and taking your seat.
- Face masks must be worn at all times.
- Thank you for using the hand sanitiser at the entrance to the centre.
* La Casa Encendida, a safe space. Please read the health measures we have taken carefully before attending the event.
