Science on Screen®: The Magical World of Moths

Nocturnes (2024), a meditative documentary by Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan, shines a light on the secret universe of lepidoptera, more commonly known as moths. It follows two researchers along on an expedition to decode these nocturnal creatures in a remote ecological “hot spot” in Arunachal Pradesh on the border of India and Bhutan. The result is a deeply immersive film that transports audiences to a rarely-seen place and urges us all to look more closely at the hidden interconnections of the natural world.

This special Science on Screen® event will feature presentations by:

Robert Reed, Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Associate Curator of Lepidoptera, Cornell University Insect Collection

Jason Dombroskie, Manager of the Cornell University Insect Collection and the Insect Diagnostic Lab and Senior Extension Associate, Department of Entomology

Meena Haribal, Retired Chemical Ecologist, currently Teaching Associate in the Department of Asian Studies and author of Butterflies of Sikkim Himalaya and Their Natural History (2003)

Together, these three Cornell experts will share insights on moth biology, the evolution of lepidoptera, and the incredible biodiversity depicted in the film, focusing especially on the moth populations of upstate New York and how we can all contribute as naturalists and citizen scientists. 

Science on Screen® is an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The program supports creative pairings of current, classic, cult, and documentary films with lively introductions by notable figures from the world of science, technology, and medicine.

Courtesy of Grasshopper Films. In Hindi with English subtitles.