Birta and Selma, two teenagers living in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, have a unique pastime. Instead of going out to parties, or playing video games, at night they drive around their town on a mission to locate lost pufflings (puffin chicks) and rescue them, guiding them back to the ocean. In awards contender Puffling, director Jessica Bishopp follows the inspiring conservation efforts of these young women, while also crafting a compelling and multi layered coming-of-age narrative between the girls, the young birds and their island.
Originally from England, Bishopp’s introduction to puffling season came on along bus ride with her Icelandic friend Hind, who she was on holiday with. The environmental uniqueness of the story inspired the film maker, compelling her to document the event in her short. Discovering that “Iceland has the world’s largest puffin population; over half of the world’s puffin population breeds in Iceland and Vestmannaeyjar is home to over 800,000 breeding pairs”, further fueled her fascination.
Dir: Jessica Bishop
Iceland 2023
Language: Icelandic with English Subtitles
