Mother of Snow Cranes

On March 18, see Mother of Snow Cranes, Finnish director Iiris Härmä’s stirring documentary following a strong, adventurous ornithologist whose journey from love to tragedy to revolution earned her the title “The Mother of Snow Cranes.” Director and producer Iiris Härmä and cinematographer Visa Koiso-Kanttila will be present for a film talk following the screening.

“Ellen, why are you staying here?” Iiris Härmä’s film begins with this question before following the remarkable life of Ellen Vuosalo (1931–2025), who was born in Toronto to Finnish immigrants, studied zoology in the United States, and married an Iranian man. Ellen’s situation changed drastically after she decided to travel to Iran to seek custody of her children following her divorce. What started as a personal journey brought her to the wetlands of northern Iran where she stayed for five decades, dedicating her life to studying and protecting the last flocks of the critically endangered Siberian crane.

This heartfelt and inspiring documentary captures a lifetime of conservation, blending scientific research with community involvement and challenging cultural and gender norms along the way. It’s a gentle portrait of one woman’s unwavering commitment to wildlife and a reflection on resilience, belonging, and connections across nature, humanity, and cultural borders.