{"id":781656,"date":"2026-07-29T09:24:43","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:24:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/animalrightswatch.us\/?p=781656"},"modified":"2026-07-29T09:36:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T13:36:53","slug":"wild-inside-new-documentary-about-flaco-the-owl-to-debut-at-new-yorks-central-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/animalrightswatch.us\/?p=781656","title":{"rendered":"‘Wild Inside’: New documentary about Flaco the owl to debut at New York’s Central Park"},"content":{"rendered":"

‘Wild Inside’ is the story of Flaco \u2014 a male Eurasian eagle-owl, the largest species of owl in the world \u2014 who was discovered missing from his cage at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. What follows when Flaco, who had lived his entire life in captivity, was released in New York City is a surprising story revealing the delight, concern, and fascination of millions in the city and beyond. The documentary\u00a0will have its world premiere at Rooftop Films\u00a0in\u00a0Central Park on July 29, 2026.<\/strong><\/em><\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

KATHLEEN LINGO:<\/strong> It\u2019s a cold February night on 5th Ave in Manhattan. A crowd is gathering to gawk at a monstrous and oddly big bird. Could it be a pigeon on steroids? A recent arrival from a faraway land? NYPD officers arrive and plop down a cage next to it. Maybe it will hop in for a ride downtown. Nope. Instead, it lifts off and flies into Central Park. Thus begins a city-wide obsession with an owl named Flaco.<\/em><\/p>\n

Penny Lane\u2019s new documentary Wild Inside follows the story of Flaco and his fans as he learns how to survive in the \u201cwild\u201d of NYC. He perches in trees, hunts prey, and flies free amid the skyscrapers while his adoring public hangs on his every move.<\/em><\/p>\n

The owl\u2019s origin turns out to be just the Central Park Zoo. Someone cut open his cage \u2014 though no one ever found out who \u2014 and this act of vandalism seems to set up the essential question of the film. Should Flaco be allowed to live wild and free? Or should he go back to the zoo?…<\/em><\/p>\n

From the first night he was spotted, documentarian (and bird lover) Penny Lane knew there was something to this bird. Her new documentary Wild Inside features the crowd-sourced footage, photos, and stories of NYC\u2019s year-long affair with Flaco. The film is one of the most thought-provoking instances of the \u201cNew York is almost like another character\u201d subgenre, grappling with how animals fit into an ecosystem altered by humans…<\/em><\/p>\n

The film premieres in Central Park on July 29 and then will be coming to a theater near you. Next year, the film will be on HBO, but Penny and I agree that birds and movies are more fun to watch with a group of people \u2014 so get to a theater if you can. Wild Inside was produced by Gabriel Sedgwick and Nickolas Hasse for Spinning Nancy Productions, alongside Sandbox Films and in association with HBO Documentary Films. SOURCE<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

RELATED VIDEO:<\/strong><\/p>\n