A feature documentary asking a question most of us have never thought to ask: what is the importance of darkness to life?

Once completed, the film will follow scientists, communities, and advocates working to understand and combat artificial light pollution, one of the fastest-growing and least-discussed environmental crises of our time. Nightflower will take us to the Swiss Alps to observe nocturnal pollinators, to the salt marshes of New Jersey to study fireflies, to dark sky parks in Ireland, and to Namibia, where Indigenous astronomical knowledge is being actively preserved.

The directors want Nightflower to do for the night sky what Blackfish did for orcas—shift public perception and light a path toward protection.

Directors

Rosie Feerick is a director and Emmy-nominated producer based in Ireland. For the last 4 years, she has served as the associate producer for Ken Burns’ documentary company Florentine Films. She played a key role in the development and production of his six-part PBS/BBC docu-series The American Revolution. Rosie has experience in both directing and story producing, extensive knowledge of archival research, and a particular interest in our connection to land, wildlife, and local history.

Peter Ackerman is a director and producer working in Maine and New York City. He is passionate about advocating for wildlife conservation, scientific exploration, and environmental justice. Some of the companies he has worked with include PBS Nature, National Geographic, OceanX, Little Monster Films, Our Time Projects, Netflix, and HBO Documentaries.

Learn more about Nightflower on their website (link tbd), newsletter, and Instagram.

Production support

Seedlings Collective is the fiscal sponsor for Nightflower, meaning donations made through us go directly to the film's production and are tax-deductible. We believe this is exactly the kind of project the world doesn't know it needs yet—visually stunning, scientifically urgent, and made by a team with the credentials and the heart to see it through.

Nightflower Film