Why falconers believe a bird of prey in action is still a wonder worth beholding

For roughly 1,000 years, the New Forest national park in England has been a venue for falconry – hunting with trained birds of prey. Today, falconers such as Paul Manning keep the ancient tradition alive, finding companionship, quiet comfort and immense satisfaction in the practice. For Manning, the pastime’s difficulty is part of its appeal: a carefully cultivated relationship between falconer and bird is essential for a successful hunt, which itself is exceedingly rare. Featuring breathtaking shots of the New Forest’s woodlands and vast open fields, this short documentary by the London-based filmmaking collective Eyes & Ears captures the pull of the ancient tradition against the push of modernity.

Via Jungles in Paris