One small act of kindness can go a long way, evident through the film Olivia’s Birds by Director Lynne Cherry. Olivia’s Birds is the story of Olivia Bouler, an artist and a bird lover who was deeply affected by the BP oil spill back in 2010 when 130 million gallons of oil spilled onto the Gulf of Mexico. Following the spill, Bouler is worried about the wildlife affected by the catastrophe, specifically the birds. The National Audubon Society, a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats, was doing its best to help the birds. Bouler comes up with the idea of selling her bird paintings to support their efforts. Soon media outlets contact her to write about the story. Olivia’s paintings raise $200,000 after her story appears in places like The Guardian and on The Today Show.
While Cherry has accumulated many awards, such as 2009’s Women’s History Month Honoree by the National Women’s History Project, and her film was seen at many international conferences, there was nothing groundbreaking about how she decided to shoot and edit this film. Olivia’s Birds hones in on the importance of going out there and making a difference when you see an injustice happen. This message is relayed throughout the film and it doesn’t need fancy editing or camera movements from the Director. The audience just needs Bouler (who elevates the film with her personality and sincerity) and the message she wants to put across.
Though this film may not be for everyone, it would be perfect for elementary school kids as it’s thoroughly enjoyable and easy for the students to digest, only coming in around 6 minutes. Older viewers interested in protecting the environment will also enjoy the story.
Olivia’s Birds shows us that a small act of kindness can go a long way and create a difference for the unheard voices in our world.
3.75/5 Stars
Olivia’s Birds Premiering on April 1st on Planet Classroom’s YouTube Channel
Alexandra Yun graduated in 2020 from Florida International University, earning her degree in Bachelor in Science, majoring in journalism. She’s currently located in New York City to further pursue her career in journalism.
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