In the most beautiful piece of film to be released all year, an owl known as "Rockefeller" is shown being released back into the wild. Employing a moody color palette, Director of Photography Soren Nielsen and cameraman Tyler Kubicz dramatically captured the moment in a way that demands a Hans Zimmer original score swelling in the background — but alas, all is silent as the owl takes flight.
That's Ellen Kalish, of the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties, setting her free.
"An emotionally manipulative cinematic masterpiece!" — Gothamist
But *record scratch* you may be wondering how this owl got here. It all started in mid-November, when this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree was chopped down in Oneonta, later to be driven on a flatbed truck to Midtown, where it was propped up like a trophy kill in the name of tradition.
On November 16th, when the tree was still settling into its temporary home, a worker discovered a tiny, likely supernatural Northern Saw-whet Owl tucked into the branches (and this wasn't the first time this has happened).
The owl was nicknamed Rockefeller (or Rocky), and transported to Ravensbeard where she was fed mice until regaining enough strength to be released back into the wild, an event that finally occurred last night.
On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the center told Gothamist, "The release went very well! We picked the most picturesque setting. Plenty of pine and fir trees for our little Rocky. From there, she will find her way south and find her own piece of paradise for the winter."
