Little Pearls presents
Wild and Free – Connecting with Wonder through Wildlife
Saturday, May 10, 2008 – 3-5 pm
Jubilee! Celebration Space - 46 Wall Street, Asheville, NC
Wildlife magic is afoot for animal lovers of all ages in an unusual event on Saturday, May 10 in downtown Asheville. This event will feature fascinating wildlife tales in film, storytelling and song, along with live raptors and other rescued, un-releasable wildlife.
Little Pearls will debut Wild and Free: a Screech Owl Named Pinkey and honor Clyde Hollifield, the human “star” of the 30-second Little Pearl and eight-minute documentary. This event is a fundraiser for an upcoming series of "tiny films" called Animal Pearls. Tickets at the door are $7 adults, $4 children. Wild and Free DVDs will be available.
In addition to the Wild and Free films, the program will feature:
- Clyde Hollifield, much-loved Appalachian storyteller, inventor and retired wildlife rehabber whose unorthodox methods helped Pinkey, a cute, goofy screech owl baby, learn to live on his own in the wild. He will share his unusual stories of wildlife rehabilitation and respond to questions from the audience.
- Grandmother Red Leaf, Cherokee/Choctaw Elder, Myth Keeper, Tribal Wisdom Keeper and Clan Mother for the Council House of the 7th Fire, offering stories of bird medicine, the Winged Tribes and her friend Clyde
- Debra Roberts, Little Pearls founder, beekeeper and producer of The Honeybee Project
- Mica White, intuitive storyteller, taking her story cue from the audience and improvising on the spot
- Sue Ford and Sarah Rubin, blending their harmonious musical talents on banjo, guitar, fiddle and voice with songs of nature and community
- Wild for Life, a non-profit wildlife rehabilitation center, bringing at least three raptors (including a screech owl), setting up a display and being available for questions and up-close interactions
- Dr. Willie, Clyde’s canine mentor, retired pet therapist, star of his own Little Pearl and 2006 national winner of The MY HERO Short Film Festival's Special Hero Award, offering pet therapy to anyone who requests it
- David Bourne of Bourne Media, cinematographer and editor with Little Pearls of Wild and Free
- Skye Satz, a multitalented girl who, at age 9, became the perfect voice for Pinkey in his 30-second Pearl, with support from Chris Rosser of Hollow Reed Arts and her father Brett Satz
- Adrienne Hollifield and Mike Whitney, who helped with the filming and much more
- The WNC Nature Center, bringing some of their educational animals and setting up a display. We may also have other rehabbers with their animals.
Little Pearls is a non-profit media organization whose “tiny films” open hearts and minds, inspiring authentic connection and compassionate action on behalf of all living beings. Created in documentary style, each short film aims to capture and reveal the essence of someone or something unique. Most are only 30 seconds long.
This event is sponsored by the Jubilee! Arts Team. Little Pearls encourages people to bring supplies for wildlife rehabbers. Wild for Life needs white unscented tissues for baby bird nests, paper towels, stamps and gift cards from Lowe’s or Home Depot. The WNC Nature Center needs any kind of sturdy cloth: old towels, washcloths, blankets.
The Wild and Free Pearl began with an e-mail from Clyde: “I have been rehabbing a little screech owl orphan... he thinks I am his momma....” Little Pearls already knew Clyde through an earlier Pearl about his injured therapy dog Dr. Willie. Willie had benefitted from the treatment skills that Clyde honed in his 25 years of wildlife rehabilitation. When Clyde said this baby owl was special to him, it seemed there could be a possible Pearl in their relationship.
Pinkey is an especially cute and comical bird, a great ambassador for his species. He was filmed in HD before and after his release in summer 2005. Pinkey’s Pearl, four companion films and a draft compilation for the Asheville Film Festival were created in 2007. The final eight minute compilation was completed this spring.
Pinkey’s story is funny, beautiful and tender, yet his close relationship with Clyde also raises questions, based on conventional federal wildlife regulations. Despite concerns about Pinkey’s bond with Clyde and Clyde’s use of an alternative “soft release” method, Pinkey has thrived on his own in the wild for over two and one-half years.
Little Pearls hopes that the “Wild and Free” films have a positive impact, reminding viewers that wild animals are meant to be wild, even if they need our help for awhile.
To experience these films, photographs and the rich related story in several forms on littlepearls.org, link to Portfolio or directly to Pinkey’s main page.
