Flaco, the Eurasian eagle-owl that famously escaped from the Central Park Zoo in 2023 and became a myth of sorts in New York, is the subject of a new documentary titled Wild Inside by director Penny Lane. Before officially opening at Manhattan’s IFC Center on July 31 followed by a nationwide theatrical release, the feature will enjoy a very New York kind of world premiere at a special outdoor screening that will be free and open to the public inside Central Park on July 29. We told you, very New York.
“Central Park is a magical place, and it was made even more magical by Flaco,” Lane said in an official statement. “From the beginning, I dreamed this film might one day premiere under the stars in Central Park. Today, I am pinching myself, as this dream is coming true!”
Featuring footage from NYC birders and interviews with New Yorkers who have come to love Flaco, plus wildlife experts, Wild Inside takes a look at the bird’s life, with particular attention paid to his escape following damage to his zoo enclosure, the ensuing owl hunt that took over the city, his 2024 death after colliding with an Upper West Side building and all the books, exhibits, merch and films that have honored him since.
“Flaco’s story has us thinking about nature versus nurture, about what it means to be free, and about how to experience urban nature in a new way,” said Jessica Harrop, the executive director of Sandbox Films, which will present the Central Park screening in association with the office of New York City Council Member Gale A. Brewer, the Central Park Conservancy and Rooftop Films. “We are thrilled to be distributing Wild Inside in movie theaters around the country and to be commencing the release with this very special world premiere, free to New Yorkers in Flaco’s home, Central Park.”
Check out the official trailer for Wild Inside right here:
