Birdlife

What does it mean to learn to fly using your own body? Birdlife, a Belgian documentary directed by Léopold le Grelle and produced by MIROVIA Media, explores the history of modern wingsuit flying through the accounts of nine pioneers and practitioners from different countries and generations. It begins with an age-old desire and follows the way that desire becomes a discipline shaped by research, shared experience and concrete choices.

The film brings memories of early experiments together with the work of people who helped develop the wingsuit. Archive material and interviews accompany the practical steps before a jump: equipment, stitching, maps and moments of waiting at the edge all have a place in the story. These details take the film beyond the spectacle of flight itself, showing how many people, skills and decisions are involved before anyone takes off.

The participants named by the production include Géraldine Fasnacht, Roberta Mancino, Cédric Dumont and Peter Salzmann. Their experiences form part of a collective account of learning, innovation and the relationship with risk. Alongside the idea of freedom, the film makes room for doubt, loss and the possibility of deciding not to jump—dimensions that coexist with the participants’ commitment to the sport.

Portraits, workspaces and mountain landscapes alternate with immersive viewpoints and wide shots of rock faces. The human figure is often small against the cliffs and valleys, giving a sense of the space being crossed. Filmed in Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Norway and Switzerland, Birdlife follows not only the flights but also the community and technical history that make them possible.