The idea for the short film above came about to rethink the standard nature documentary format. As an editor who often works in this genre, I have always wanted to make a more thoughtful 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 they hold a unique place in the minds of Canadians. Many geese have adapted to city life but still retain their migratory instinct. 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 reflects humanity’s connection to the wider natural world: we idolize and value nature, but obsessively Try to control it to the point of destruction.
By stepping back and allowing the geese to tell this story, a different style of nature film took shape. From their perspective, the urban landscape transforms into something strange and unknown, and the evolutionary instincts that guide it take on a spiritual or supernatural quality. I hope the film inspires a deeper sense of empathy and awareness of the natural world with which we share our cities.
Karsten Wall is an editor and filmmaker based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
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