Dead Birds overview

• Overview
• Details
• Cast & Credits
• Awards
• Review

Synopsis:

Financed by the Netherlands and the Peabody Museum at Harvard, Dead Birds is a 1961 documentary project directed by Robert Gardner. The film follows the life of a New Guinea tribesman and his war-like people called the Dani. It was filmed on-location in the Grand Valley of the Baliem in the mountains of West Irian. The neighboring clans followed a fierce system of battles and revenge. Each death needed to be celebrated, mourned, and avenged. The people believed that war was the only way to satisfy the ghosts.