Enthralled audience soars with eagles at captivating documentary Rara Avis about John J. Audubon

An enthralled audience of more than 350 people soared with the eagles—and the cardinals, falcons and black skimmers—Monday evening in Foxcroft School in Middleburg when producer Cina Alexander Forgason and director Al Reinert screened and discussed their captivating documentary Rara Avis: John James Audubon and the Birds of America.

The screening was the culminating event of a daylong visit by Forgason, a Foxcroft alumna, and Reinart, a two-time Academy Award nominee. The visit included classroom stop-ins and informal, small-group conversations about filmmaking, storytelling, ornithology and conservation.

Under the auspices of the Helen Cudahy Niblack ’42 Arts Lecture Series, Foxcroft brings a number of literary, performing and fine artists to campus to share their work and perspective on the nature of the creative process each year.

A “rara avis” is an unusual, uncommon or exceptional person or thing, and Audubon certainly was one, risking material and familial well-being to dedicate himself to capturing the birds of America in a wholly new fashion. The attention to detail and complexity of artistic technique with which Audubon portrayed his subjects in strikingly lifelike, action-filled poses is stunning.

So, too, is this documentary of the man. The magnificent footage of birds in their natural habitat, often doing exactly what Audubon captured, is breathtaking. This is seamlessly combined with insights gleaned from Audubon’s journals and letters, and comments from an array of experts to create a vivid understanding of the mammoth task, extraordinary determination and awesome artistic talent of the man.

After the screening, Reinert lifted the curtain on some of the magic. The captivating bird footage was collected by Tim Barksdale of Birdman Production, who, Reinert said, “lives out of a van, goes into the woods in the middle of nowhere and waits for the birds to happen.” While scenes of Audubon obviously were not him—photography had not yet been invented—the buckskin suit worn by a stand-in and a number of other authentic artifacts were used.

Forgason’s inspiration for the project, Reinert’s research and directorial approach, future plans for the film (look for it on WETA and other public television stations next year) and more insights were shared in what was truly a wonderful evening.

Reinert co-wrote the screenplay for Apollo 13, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay. He received his second Oscar nomination for Best Documentary, Feature, for the film For All Mankind, which also garnered the Sundance Film Festival’s Audience Award, Documentary and Grand Jury Prize, Documentary. His most recent documentary An Unreal Dream — The Michael Morton Story won the SXSW Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best Documentary.

A lifelong conservationist and managing partner of Rara Avis Productions, LLC, Forgason serves on the boards of The Nature Conservancy of Texas, The Peregrine Fund and the Lewa USA Wildlife Conservancy, which supports a conservancy and community development projects in northern Kenya.

Founded in 1914, Foxcroft is a college-preparatory boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12. Its mission is to help every girl explore her unique voice and to develop the skills, confidence and courage to share it with the world.