Parrot Kindergarten tells the story of Jennifer Taylor O’Connor who finds healing through caring for her pet parrots, after experiencing personal tragedies including a miscarriage and being in a cult.
Throughout the film, O’Connor is documented teaching her bird Ellie how to communicate using a speech board, flashcards and associations, a process director Amy Herdy says is an “absolute breakthrough in interspecies communication.”
She tells The Hollywood Reporter, “Watching Jen and Ellie together was like witnessing a quiet revolution. They have such a bond of empathy and trust and mutual respect, and they understand each other’s hearts and minds.”
Herdy continues, “And I think that’s what we can all strive for regardless of what species you are. We would all be better off if we worked that way.”
Working together in a way that requires patience and consideration was O’Connor’s desperate attempt to bond with Ellie, Herdy says, to occupy her mind from missing her parrot family. The parrot’s evolution was even captured on TikTok, marking the duo’s spot in a growing global community of #parrotsoftiktok.
Although Ellie amassed millions of video views showing off her communication skills, O’Connor faced social media backlash because many did not believe that a parrot could consciously communicate, and instead was only mimicking words she heard.
“[Ellie’s] a social media sensation,” the director says. “Who knew that a parrot could steal the Internet’s heart? She’s sassy and she’s funny and she’s got a lot of personality packed into a tiny little being.”
“For some, facing the reality of animal sentience might provoke guilt, discomfort, or cognitive dissonance, so they may simply reject the concept to avoid confronting these feelings,” Herdy says.
Of O’Connor Herdy adds, “There’s [Jennifer’s] struggle to overcome all the naysayers and all the negativity, and honestly, a lot of the patriarchy in that world. So she fought back and she persevered.”
Themes of perseverance and resistance are prevalent within Herdy’s previous projects under Covetower Ventures and fact checking sister company Avocados Are Fruit, highlighting women who are silenced and victimized.
From 2015’s The Hunting Ground to 2021’s Allen v Farrow and Britney v Spears, Herdy has a history of producing investigative documentaries that are social justice oriented as a way to give others hope.
“I’m drawn to people who have undergone trauma. I think pain cracks us open and creates depth,” she says. “I feel it’s incredibly important to give voice to people who might not otherwise have a voice and might not otherwise have a chance to have their story heard. That’s what I lean toward.”
She continues, “And I think that’s one of the things that drew me to Parrot Kindergarten initially. And then it turned out to be so much more than a story about this woman having been silenced after being in a cult. It is a story about love and connection.”
Parrot Kindergarten premieres at Santa Barbara International Film Festival on February 5.
English (US) ·