Elder Birdsong

Elder Birdsong is an animated musical short film in which 3 elderly birds: an ailing Owl, a physically challenged native Tui, and a couple of isolated migratory Korean Godwits sing about challenges of mobility, loneliness, and self-reliance. It is through their humour and dignity that these ageing birds demonstrate their resilience and provoke us to pick up the phone and get in touch with the elderly people in our lives. The film is a collaboration between public health scholars and filmmakers in New Zealand.

Directed by Shuchi Kothari, Sarina Pearson, Elder Birdsong leans on a strong ensemble — Rima Te Wiata, Margaret Baker, Chunjoon Hwang — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2019.