An initiative of the COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE
With major support from the ALFRED P. SLOAN FOUNDATION
Sideways meets Stand by Me in this endearing story of friendship, family and a place in bird watching’s history books. On the eve of his widower father’s second wedding, fifteen-year-old David Portnoy spots what may just be the extinct Labrador duck. Now he and the two other stalwart members of the local Young Birders Society, joined by their headstrong photographer classmate Ellen, take off on a rollicking, interstate road trip in search of a rare bird and elusive answers to teenage questions large and small.
With marvelous supporting performances by Ben Kingsley and James LeGros, A Birder’s Guide to Everything is an alternately poignant and funny window into the thoughtful world of birding and the inner peace that can be discovered during a walk in the woods. Rob Meyer delivers a sparkling feature film debut with a coming-of-age tale to warm the hearts of anyone who grew up with a nerdy passion. It becomes a tenderhearted look at the moments and relationships that change even the most intensely focused lives.
Matt Pelikan, director of the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life, is a lifelong naturalist with a broad range of interests. An Oak Bluffs resident since 1997, Matt has devoted countless hours to the study of wildlife groups including birds, butterflies, tiger beetles, Odonates, Orthoptera, and bees on Martha’s Vineyard. Before joining BiodiversityWorks and the MVAL in February 2021, Matt had worked as an ecologist for The Trustees of Reservations and, before that, in various roles for The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts. He is a former Editor in Chief of Bird Observer, a regional birding journal, and worked as an editor for the American Birding Association from 1993 to 2005.
