Under Her Wings

Scheduled in Block 6

Synopsis:

Compassion can take you by surprise. Toni Lance came to St. Croix as a young artist, expecting to discover and express the beauty of the island. She never anticipated the heart connection she would develop with the island birds, and how many she would take under her wing. This short documentary explores Toni's passion as an artist and her life as a caretaker for wild birds.

Director Bio:

Elizabeth Herzfeldt-Kamprath is an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and recent graduate from American University’s Master of Fine Arts in Film & Electronic Media program. Her films have featured topics from the oil industry in North America to youth in Honduras. Most recently, her short documentary Under Her Wings features artist Toni Lance and the St. Croix Avian Sanctuary, exploring the story of what it takes to care for wild birds.

Director Statement:

I met Toni Lance in June of 2016, when on vacation. I found her sanctuary on the web, emailed her and visited while I was there. When I went visiting I was drawn to Toni’s life she had created on the island. The setting of the sanctuary was beautiful, nestled above the ocean on an old sugar cane plantation. It felt like the perfect setting for a documentary.

Toni showed me around the bird sanctuary, recalling stories of resident birds and temporary birds who needed her care. I felt connected to her story, as someone who loves birds and has volunteered at bird rehabilitation centers in the past, it felt like a story I wanted to tell. 

Since that first encounter, Toni and I have grown our relationship and in 2017 I spent a month on the island, filming every aspect of Toni’s life. I took an observational approach, in order for the story to unfold for the audience, hopefully placing them in the setting.