Reel to Real X The Stove Cafe: Flight of the Swans

Flight of the Swans | 2023 | Annabel Vine | UK

To investigate the reasons behind the Bewick swan population's shocking decline, female environmentalist SACHA DENCH takes to the skies in a paramotor to follow the flock on its migratory journey, over 7,000 kilometers, and 11 countries, from Russia to England, across wetlands, tundra and industrial landscapes, where she encounters local people just as passionate about saving and protecting the swans. 
Sacha flew the Bewick’s entire flyway, often at altitudes as low as 100m on a voyage that lasted three months and provided a birds eye view on the challenges facing these critically endangered birds. Once they’d safely navigated the vast Russian tundra – and its polar bears – Sacha and the ground crew continued to track the swans’ progress through Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium and France. When Sacha completed the flight from the French coast to England, she became the first woman to successfully cross the English Channel by paramotor.

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection. The Stove Cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 6:45pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes.

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