‘Kind of like a fairytale’: documentary tells the unusual tale of Flaco the Owl

‘There are certain places in New York City that will forever be changed for me by his existence in those places’ … a still from Wild Inside. Photograph: Image courtesy of Sandbox Films Photographer Benny Polatseck

Flaco the Eurasian eagle-owl gained a cult following after leaving his life in captivity at the Central Park zoo in 2023 and surviving, against all odds, for more than a year as a free bird in Manhattan.

Birdwatchers tracked his every move, capturing his vast wingspan and luminous orange eyes with their cameras. His fans got tattoos in his honor. And now, Wild Inside, a new documentary chronicling Flaco’s year about town, is set to premiere this week.