Chris Jordan’s New Film: Albatross

The story of ALBATROSS unfolds through a deeply personal journey that began in 2008 when director Chris Jordan teamed up with photographer Manuel Maqueda to investigate ocean plastic pollution. Their first trip in 2009 to Midway Atoll revealed a haunting scene: countless dead albatross chicks whose stomachs were filled with trash. This brutal discovery shattered their hearts and highlighted the devastating legacy of our throwaway culture. Over the next four years and eight more visits, they shifted from documenting tragedy to capturing the raw, living beauty of the birds—their dances, the tender bonds between mates and chicks, and the rhythmic cycle of life on the island. Jordan’s approach was intuitive and unscripted: he welcomed whatever emerged each day, whether it was stormy skies, forgotten military relics, or the birds themselves, allowing the island to guide the narrative.

Turning to editing in 2015, Jordan reset the project after working with several teams, taking full creative control in his Seattle studio. Over two years he shaped more than 400 hours of footage into something far more than a documentary—it became a poetic, sensory experience. The film blends immersive visuals, original narration, and a rich musical tapestry to take viewers into a space of wonder, grief, and hope. As a conscious counterpoint to commodification, ALBATROSS was released on Earth Day 2018 as a free public artwork, culminating in a screening at the United Nations on World Oceans Day. Shared through hosted screenings, word of mouth, and social media, the film invites audiences to bear witness, reflect, and spread its message. Jordan and his collaborators ask only that viewers pass it on freely and, if inspired, contribute financially to help it travel further.