Film

Watching People Watching Birds

Documentary · 1h 37m · in cinemas since 7 November

Where to see it

4 screenings in 2 cities

3 screenings in Leipzig

Cineding
- 19:00 (opens in a new window)

All films in Leipzig

About

Ulrike Franke and Michael Loeken’s documentary follows passionate bird watchers, among them Patrick Kretz and Jonathan Franzen.

Watching People Watching Birds is a documentary by Ulrike Franke and Michael Loeken about people who are passionately devoted to bird watching. Among them are Patrick Kretz and Jonathan Franzen, who appear as themselves. The film observes the watchers and, through their eyes and ears, opens the world of the birds. That world becomes a metaphor for the state of the world. The documentary takes the bird watchers’ enthusiasm as its starting point and follows what they see and hear.

Story written by Evenitto from TMDB and the cinemas' notes

Trailer

Official trailer · TMDBYouTube

Cast and crew

Patrick Kretzas Self
Jonathan Franzenas Self

Photos: TMDB

Director: Ulrike Franke, Michael Loeken
Written by: Ulrike Franke, Michael Loeken
Camera: Hajo Schomerus · Jörg Adams
Music: Maciej Śledziecki
Editing: Sophie Oldenbourg · Guido Krajewski
Countries: Germany
Studios: WDR, filmproduktion loekenfranke

Good to know

Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Language: German
In German cinemas: Since 7 November 2026

Questions

How long is Watching People Watching Birds?

1 hour 37 minutes. Most cinemas add 15 to 20 minutes of adverts and trailers first, so plan for about 1 hour 57 minutes.

Where can I see Watching People Watching Birds?

There are 4 screenings at 2 cinemas in 2 cities, most in Leipzig (3) and Köln (1). Pick your city above for the times.

What language is Watching People Watching Birds in?

Watching People Watching Birds is in German. A foreign-language film normally plays dubbed into German; many cinemas also show it in the original version (OV, OmU or OmeU).

Who is in Watching People Watching Birds?

Patrick Kretz plays Self, with Jonathan Franzen.