O, Collecting Eggs Despite the Times

Netherlands 2021, 80 min, German, Hebrew & English subtitles

A smooth white shard he had found while gathering little stones in his parents’ garden as a child sparked Max Schönwetter’s lifelong love for bird eggs. He became a prominent researcher in the field and collected tens of thousands of eggs, which he categorized, drew, measured, and studied with a dedication that bordered on obsession. He hoped to write the complete guide to oology, a book that would cover every type of bird egg in existence. The rise of the Nazis and the world war that followed didn’t stop Schönwetter and his colleagues—scientists, collectors, and even soldiers fighting on the front lines—from searching for wondrous eggs and discussing eggshell textures. Harrowing images of Europe in ruins, its people lost in the aftermath of war, contextualize this passion as a way to escape into a world filled with beauty and awe at nature’s wonders.

Previous Festivals: IDFA

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