The Cinematheque

Canadian Premiere

“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 portrait of one woman’s unwavering commitment to wildlife and a reflection on resilience, belonging, and connections across nature, humanity, and cultural borders.

In English, Farsi, and Finnish with English subtitles