‘Fly Away Home’: Love of Nature Isn’t Quite Love

This installment of ‘Movies for Teens and Young Adults’ suggests that spontaneous concern for pets may be a call to studied concern for people.

A young girl works with her dad to help geese migrate, in "Fly Away Home." Columbia Pictures/MovieStillsDB

The autobiography of Canadian artist, sculptor, inventor, and naturalist Bill Lishman, “Father Goose,” inspired “Fly Away Home” (1996). But director Caroll Ballard wasn’t interested in making a faithful biopic about Lishman and his pet geese. She focused more on how the bond between geese and humans held lessons for love between humans. Ballard’s theme isn’t nature or naturalism, it’s love.

Amy (Anna Paquin) save geese hatchlings, in "Fly Away Home." Columbia Pictures/MovieStillsDB