This small-scale documentary from filmmaker Judy Irving became something of a minor sensation upon its release in 2004, attracting moviegoers almost solely by word of mouth. Made with beguiling simplicity, the heartwarming film explores the principal passion of Mark Bittner, a struggling musician living in a rundown San Francisco cottage, where he looks after a flock of red-headed Conure parrots that have, inexplicably and improbably, taken up residence in the nearby trees.

Bittner - clearly an eccentric, but a gentle and lovable one - feeds the birds, tends the sick ones, and even tries to encourage the mating of a blue-headed misfit he names Connor.

There’s something joyful about watching the parrots, a species of outcasts with whom our human protagonist seems to identify. Irving’s camera examines them closely and before the final fadeout most viewers will root for them just as much as Mark Bittner does. (Barnes & Noble)

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Quiet patience and an observant eye turn a seemingly unpromising subject into a rich and fascinating movie. The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill captures the life of Mark Bittner, a gentle homeless musician who’s befriended a flock of wild parrots in a neighborhood of San Francisco. Following Bittner, the camera zooms in on individual parrots, revealing their individual personalities and the traits of their species.

This leads to Bittner’s own life, the network of friendships that support him, and the ways in which the parrots–a non-native species–interact with both the natural ecosystem and the city government; just about every topic opens up another until a flock of colorful birds represents a microcosm of nature and society. Filmmaker Judy Irving has created an exemplary documentary simply by paying attention to the details of the world around her subject.

Everything you expect from a Hollywood blockbuster–romance, violence, humor, sorrow, strong personalities in conflict - is here in spades, except that the heroes and heroines have bright red and green feathers. Utterly rewarding. An “engrossing, delightful film” (The Washington Post), The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the bonafide sleeper theatrical hit. (Amazon)