Get Ready to Soar with "Wild Inside" - The Feather-Ruffling Documentary About Central Park's Famous Owl

Flaco, the freewheeling Eurasian Eagle-Owl who fluttered out of his Central Park Zoo home into internet fame and a flurry of memes is the spotlighted star of Penny Lane's spectacular new feature documentary, “Wild Inside.” New Yorkers and curious globe-trotters alike can first catch this wild ride at a breezy outdoor screening in Central Park, the very park from which Flaco made his daring escape, on July 29. The best part? It's free and anyone can slide on in, making this a must-do summer event!

Lane, giddy in anticipation of the premiere, gushed, "Central Park is a magical place, and it was made even more magical by Flaco. I've fantasized from the get-go about debuting this film under the shimmering stars of Central Park, and just like that, my dreams are swooping into reality!"

This high-flying screening is brought to life by Sandbox Films, in collaboration with office of council member Gale A. Brewer, Central Park Conservancy, and Rooftop Films. Soon after the premiere, you can catch the film at the IFC Center in Manhattan on July 31, or at selected theaters across the country. There are even special screenings planned for August 4, just in time to celebrate International Owl Awareness Day! Talk about lucky timing for our feathery friend. The production is brought to you courtesy of HBO Documentary Films.

This isn’t Lane's first rodeo with Sandbox Films. The studio had earlier brought her award-winning work, “Confessions of a Good Samaritan,” to screens nationwide in 2023. Lane, the genius behind hits like “Listening to Kenny G,” “Hail Satan?” and “Our Nixon,” brings yet another fascinating tale to life with “Wild Inside.”

The documentary gives an intimate view of Flaco's escapade from the Central Park Zoo, surviving against all odds in the vibrant urban jungle of New York, all thanks to glimpses contributed by bird enthusiasts. Featuring moving interviews with wildlife experts, citizen scientists, and New Yorkers entranced by Flaco's charm, "Wild Inside" magnificently captures the bird's soaring year of freedom before his premature demise in 2024.

Jessica Harrop, the influential Executive Director of Sandbox Films, exclaims, “Flaco’s story has sparked intriguing questions about nature versus nurture, the essence of freedom, and exploring urban nature with a fresh perspective. SandBox Films is absolutely thrilled to launch 'Wild Inside' in movie theaters around the country, premiering right where Flaco called home, Central Park."

Be sure to sweep by and experience the hooting trailer for “Wild Inside,” and set your sights on a journey as wild as Flaco himself!