The idea for the short film above came about as a way to rethink the standard nature documentary format. As an editor who often works in this genre, I’ve always had the desire to create a more contemplative and authentic film about a wild animal’s struggle for survival. Here, I tried my best to remove my human perspective from the story and see the world through the eyes of an urban Canada goose.
I chose Canada geese as my subject because of the unique place they occupy in the minds of Canadians. Many geese have adapted to city life but still retain their migratory instincts. For Canadians, Canada geese can be both an urban pest and a majestic creature that symbolizes the changing of the seasons. In many ways this contradictory relationship mirrors humanity’s connection to the wider natural world: We idolize and cherish nature, but obsessively try to control it to the point of destruction.
By my taking a step back and allowing the geese to tell this story, a different style of nature film began to take shape. From their perspective, the city landscape morphs into something strange and unfamiliar, and the evolutionary instincts that guide them take on a spiritual or supernatural quality. I hope the film brings about a deeper sense of empathy and awareness of the natural world with which we share our cities.
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Canada Goose appeared first on New York Times.
