Directing
For her entire professional life, renowned ecologist Nalini Nadkarni pioneered climbing techniques to study "what grows back” after an ecological disturbance in the rainforest canopy. Now, after surviving a life-threatening fall from a tree, she must turn her research question onto herself in order to understand the effects of disturbance and recovery throughout her life.
The film Cocoon documents the early months of the pandemic told through the perspective of students, ages 4 to 17, living in their homes in Portland, Oregon. The film explores students' varying points of view about the pandemic on issues including job loss, health concerns, and school changes. As students express their fears and insecurities, they also share what they have come to appreciate and what they miss the most—their friends and human connection.
