Chester Hill Lookout, 2017 (TFN Archives)
Our Kanopy pick for June, Emptying the Skies, profiles the black market for migratory songbirds in Europe and some of the activists that risk their safety to protect these tiny creatures from poachers. Based on a 2010 New Yorker essay by novelist Jonathan Franzen, this outstanding (and often upsetting) documentary won the “Giving Voice to Read More
Our Kanopy Pick for May, “The Reluctant Radical” tracks Ken Ward Jr., chair of the Society of Environmental Journalists First Amendment Task Force, “through a series of civil disobedience direct actions, culminating with his participation in the coordinated action that shut down all the U.S. tar sands oil pipelines on October 11, 2016.” An intimate Read More
Few things seem quite as magical as spotting a white-tailed deer in one of Toronto’s natural areas. In this month’s Kanopy pick, “The Secret Life of Whitetails,” filmmaker Gary W. Griffen gives an intimate introduction to this wonderful animal, its evolution, range, and resilience. A classic nature documentary made remarkable by behavioral footage accumulated over Read More
From their last remaining population in Texas/Louisiana to their reintroduction in Eastern North Carolina, Red Wolf Revival is a short film about the struggle to recover a species. More than that, it is an exploration of our cultural relationship with predators and the blind spots inherent to our civilization. This first doc by filmmaker Roshan Read More
Our Kanopy pick for February is the beautiful “Brilliant Darkness: Hotaru in the Night”, a short, smart look at how artificial lights affect fireflies. Filmmaker Emily Driscoll brings viewers the unique insights of Japanese and North American researchers, exploring the ecological and cultural roles of this amazing insect and how our rising urbanity is impacting Read More
Our first Kanopy pick for 2019 is “The Last Reef”, a stimulating look at the largest living structures on our planet. Take an underwater sojourn from the Bikini Atoll to The Bahamas and explore these vast “cities” of coral that habour some of the greatest biodiversity on our planet. The creativity of Oscar- and Emmy-nominated Read More
While our Kanopy pick for December, Birders: The Central Park Effect, focuses on New York City, any TFNer could tell you that a nearly identical film could have easily been shot here in Toronto, substituting Central Park with Tommy Thompson, High Park, or our amazing valley lands. This film celebrates birder culture in all its Read More
Our Kanopy pick for November is Trashed, an in-depth and visually-shocking look at the grotesque volume of waste produced by human civilization. This 2012 film earned multiple awards on the festival circuit, including prizes at the 5th Cinema Verde Environmental Film and Arts Festival, and the 30th International Environmental Film Festival. Run time 97 minutes. Read More
Our Kanopy pick for October is Learning to See: The World of Insects. Winner of the Neapolitan Award (Naples International Film Festival), and the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival. Learning to See explores the life of naturalist Robert Oelman, his transformation from psychologist to nature photographer, and his Read More
The Toronto Field Naturalists wish to acknowledge this land through which we walk. For thousands of years it has been the traditional land of the Wendat, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississauga of the Credit River. Today it is still the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to be on this land.