BIRD GUARDIANS

After more than 50 years of violence, Colombia is now finding a path toward peace and rediscovering its immense biodiversity. Its lush nature and incomparable wildlife are a source of pride for its inhabitants—a pride that spills onto the walls of cities and villages, where the "victory of Life" is displayed for all to see. These vibrant, multi-colored murals most often highlight the country's greatest gift and primary source of pride: birds!

Between lush forests, high mountains, and man-made plains, nearly 2,000 species (representing almost 20% of the world’s bird population) thrive here. This national treasure has been embraced by a new generation of Colombians. Between the ages of 7 and 20, they observe, photograph, and film birds, sharing their passion with as many people as possible in schools and on social media, helping to raise public awareness about their conservation. Among these young people is Harrison Vargas, a 17-year-old Colombian who has worked on his family farm for years while nurturing a lifelong passion for birds. He shares this passion with his friend Mateo Bohringer, a 19-year-old French-Colombian, son of Mathieu and grandson of Richard...

Beyond national pride, there is a growing global curiosity from passionate ornithologists. Since the signing of the peace accords and the opening of the country to tourism, birds have become a real opportunity for this new generation, who see a way to involve themselves in conservation while securing a career for the future.

Returning to France, we are faced with a worrying reality: on our old European continent, there are only about 600 bird species, more than a third of which are threatened. With my head still full of the smiles of children speaking about birds, I wanted to tell their story. Harrison, Mateo, and all these young Colombians testifying to their passion and the importance of protection… this is a message that will inevitably touch the hearts of young (and not so young) Europeans!

Because he is at home in Colombia and knows these bird sanctuaries and their protectors intimately, co-writing the film with Mathieu Bohringer was an obvious choice. Moving away from a purely informative or didactic approach, I wanted a film that speaks to the heart. Through beautiful imagery, bird songs, and the ethereal melodies of composer-performer Piers Faccini, I want the audience to feel the deep emotion and hope shared by these young bird lovers. To provide a benevolent perspective on this generation, we could dream of no better voice than Mathieu’s father, Richard Bohringer, who will narrate the story of Harrison and his grandson Mateo, and with them, all their "Bird Guardian" friends.

The goal is to broadcast the film on television, present it in schools alongside bird-watching workshops, and draw inspiration from the Colombian model to develop a community of "Bird Guardians" in France—ambassadors and sentinels for their protection. In collaboration with the LPO (League for the Protection of Birds), this is the objective of the Impact Campaign accompanying the film's release through the 2026-2027 school year. Between TV broadcasts, screenings, and awareness workshops, we hope the film will inspire and encourage the public to take action through active participation in the protection of birds and nature in general.

"We protect what we love, and we love what we know." This famous quote from Commander Cousteau will then take on its full meaning.