Synopsis
This documentary follows various migratory bird species on their long journeys from their summer homes to the equator and back, covering thousands of miles and navigating by the stars. These arduous treks are crucial for survival, seeking hospitable climates and food sources. Birds face numerous challenges, including crossing oceans and evading predators, illness, and injury. Although migrations are undertaken as a community, birds disperse into family units once they reach their destinations, and every continent is affected by these migrations, hosting migratory bird species at least part of the year.
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Cast
- Jacques PerrinNarrator (voice)
- Philippe LabroNarrator (voice, English version)
Recommendations
- 100
San Francisco Chronicle
Stays in the mind, changing the way we look at the world. - 90
Salon
Birds are not just the movie's stars, but its whole universe. They inspire in Perrin and his crew, and in us, not just awe but humility. You'll never look at them the same way again. - 90
Chicago Reader
The most astounding cinematic testament to flock mentality since Hitchcock's "The Birds." - 90
Wall Street Journal
A magnificent documentary that flies us along with migratory birds on their intercontinental travels, it's the polar opposite -- North Pole, South Pole and all latitudes in between -- of modern feature films that rely on special effects. - 90
Variety
Visually stunning, practically dialogue-free and very family-friendly. - 88
Miami Herald
Leaves you in a state of stunned, exhilarated awe, both for what it shows and how it shows it. - 83
Portland Oregonian
Somewhat marred by Bruno Coulais' treacly New Age score -- as well as by Perrin's somewhat daft and repetitive narration. But the key word is "somewhat." In the main, Winged Migration is an unforgettable piece of moviemaking. - 80
TV Guide Magazine
Absolutely breathtaking documentary whose close-up shots of birds in flight are so freakishly intimate that the film is compelled to open with the statement they're not special effects.
