Supported by RTÉ and Coimisiún na Meán, Birdsong is a piece of film that captured something wonderful. Now, writer and long-time Film Ireland contributor Emma Donnelly catches up with the film's producer, Ross Whitaker, to discuss the film's continued success.
When Birdsong premiered at the Dublin International Film Festival in 2024, few could have predicted the impact this thoughtful piece of cinema would have all this time later. This striking documentary, directed by Kathleen Harris, follows ornithologist Seán Ronayne on his intentional mission to record the call of every bird in Ireland – nearly 200 species in all.
Now, over a year later, Birdsong is still flying high. The film has just been nominated for four awards at the prestigious Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam, and in recent weeks has scooped Best Director for Harris at the Matsalu Nature Film Festival in Estonia, and Best Nature Documentary at the Innsbruck Nature Festival in Austria.
At Matsalu, the jury described it as: “An excellent film about people’s thirst for knowledge and their desire to learn more about the birds that surround us. A very good insight into one person’s life’s work, which may well contribute much more to species conservation than we currently suspect.”
The praise continued in Innsbruck, where the jury highlighted the film’s artistry:
“Of all the wonderful films nominated for Best Nature Documentary, this one fully realises the potential of its story on every level. Its vérité cinematography offers intimacy and authenticity, balanced by a masterful sense of composition.”
A Big Impact
“We’re so delighted and grateful to see that Birdsong is still connecting with people across Europe." Producer Ross Whitaker, who has championed Birdsong from its inception, says the film’s success has been humbling. "It's a testament to the authenticity of Seán Ronayne and his devotion to the natural world. It's also fantastic to see director Kathleen Harris continuing to be recognised for the work that she put into the film, as well as the entire team who made it possible.”
Whitaker remembers the film’s early momentum after DIFF. “It has been very interesting to see how Birdsong has gathered an audience,” he says. “After DIFF in 2024, we noticed how the festival-goers really enjoyed the live experience, so we hastily organised a few public screenings in advance of the TV broadcast on RTÉ, which was a few months later. I think that created a little bit of momentum whereby people started to hear about the story, and then that fed into a successful broadcast on RTÉ. Internationally, our friends at Crossing the Line recommended that we should enter the Jackson Media Awards, and the film was honoured there. I think that started a bit of international momentum, which has led to a good number of festival screenings. Birdsong has also found its way to the BBC in the UK and Arte in France, which is brilliant to see.”
For Whitaker, Birdsong’s success is something very much appreciated. “I think it's probably mostly always a bit of a relief when something you're involved in has a life. Most producers have made projects that don't find the audience they should, so this is the flipside of that. The response continues to be fantastic at festivals and in general, and I'm delighted to see Seán Ronayne and all of the filmmaking team get credit for it. People worked hard on the project and believed in it. I think as a producer, you're always trying to figure out the best path forward, and the reality is that not that many projects like Birdsong come along all that often, though we do hope to make more projects with Seán.”
Seán himself, soft-spoken, curious, and very patient, has become something of a public figure since the film aired. His talks across Ireland on biodiversity and conservation sell out almost immediately. “People are incredibly drawn to both Seán's own story and the story he is telling about nature, and a big part of that is how he tells the story,” Whitaker says. “He is full of wonder and passion and authenticity, and many people have been drawn to him and his knowledge. Seán has been giving talks around the country about birds, nature, biodiversity, and conservation. Almost every event is sold out, and maybe the film has played some role in helping him to spread the word.”
A Bright Future
As Birdsong continues its remarkable run, Whitaker is already looking ahead to future collaborations with director Kathleen Harris. “Firstly, I'd like to keep working with Kathleen. She's very talented and dedicated, and I think she will go on to make many great films. The next one we hope to complete was first suggested by Aideen O'Sullivan, who was also a producer on Birdsong. It's set in an animal rescue, and Kathleen has a very specific approach to it that I think will make for a special film.”
Next month, the film's team will be in Rotterdam, where Birdsong is up for four awards. Here's wishing the team the very best of luck. And afterwards? Here's hoping they get working on that sequel.
Listen back to our live Q&A will Ross Whitaker, our podcast interview with Kathleen Harris, and check out the film's review here.
Birdsong is available to view on the RTÉ player.
