Flight of the Butterflies

This documentary film is a detective story from the natural world, about a scientist who tries to uncover the truth about one of the worls most beautiful insects.

The Monarch butterfly is easily recognisable, with its strong yellow, brown, and red colours, and wings with black stripes and white spots. It has a royal name, but it is light as a feather. Still, the butterfly is able to fly from North America to Mexico in South America during winter, and then back again during summer.

Flight of the Butterflies tells the story of the Monarch butterflies' journey in images that are breathtakingly beautiful. For something like forty years, the question of where these butterflies actually migrated to and where they spent their winters, remained a mystery. The film also follows the scientist Fred Urqhuarti who took it upon himself to solve the mystery.

Mike Slee (b. 1959) is a British screenwriter, director, and creator of TV series. He has worked on a number of documentary films about animal life, nature, and history for TV as well as for cinema.

Note: English dialogue, Norwegian subtitles. Suitable for children of all ages.