At its heart, Weisberg’s Rare Birds is about what it means to be human, and the social barriers that so often divide us. It’s about our need for connection and friendship, the importance of being seen and heard, and a desire for a sense of belonging, place and purpose.
If I were to ask you to write a list of the biggest health issues facing all of us in our modern society, what would be on it? At the top of my list would be loneliness. Despite every social media platform that keeps us doomscrolling through videos and posts, messenger services that enable instant chat, and apps that have us swiping left or right in search of romance, the human race has never been lonelier. Loneliness has been linked to a 29% increased risk of coronary heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and prolonged loneliness has been identified as a primary driver of depression and anxiety. But why are we so Lonely? It’s a fascinating question, and one that Lily Weisberg’s beautiful, loving and tender short film, Rare Birds, also asks.
Twelve-year-old Candice (Zoe Ziegler) is lonely. Despite her outward confidence and a mouth that regularly gets her into trouble, she struggles to form friendships and find fellow kids she can shoot hoops with. But there is one person Candice does connect with: Jerry (Tony Macht), a camp counselor in his late teens/early twenties who worked with her last summer. To Candice, Jerry is cool because he is happy to shoot hoops without endless conversation. But Jerry is now attempting to navigate his first proper job at a local antiques shop and has no time for Candice.
Jerry is keen to make this job work, as he hasn’t had many other offers, but he is also clumsy, and his 90-year-old boss, Henry (Joseph R. Sicari), has just issued him a final warning. In truth, Henry doesn’t want to sack Jerry because he, too, is lonely as his health rapidly deteriorates, and having someone else in the shop has been nice, even if he’s a clutz.
And so the scene is set. Candice wants Jerry to shoot hoops and is determined to get him sacked. Jerry wants Candice to go away, as it would be viewed as weird to hang out with her, and Henry, well, Henry may say he wants some peace, but secretly, he quite likes them being around. Loneliness surrounds each of them, and over the course of one afternoon, all of them will need each other in differing ways.
At its heart, Weisberg’s Rare Birds is about what it means to be human, and the social barriers that so often divide us. It’s about our need for connection and friendship, the importance of being seen and heard, and our desire for a sense of belonging, place and purpose. Each of them is, in their own way, a lost soul: one through old age, one through youth, and the other through a sense of failure as young adulthood comes into view. Beautifully shot, with the packed antique shop acting as a cluttered yet safe and warm cocoon for the drama to unfold, it’s the performances at the heart of this short film that truly allow its deep themes of connection and belonging to sing.
Ziegler beautifully captures the uneasy early teen years of innocence, a strong desire for autonomy, and a need for belonging. At the same time, Macht’s performance reflects the exciting yet uncertain moment when we attempt to step away from our teenage husk, leaving everything and everyone from our adolescence behind, as we carve out our place as an adult. Meanwhile, Sicari’s performance beautifully reflects the isolation of old age and the weariness of a life that feels like it’s coming to an end, even when you still have so much more you want to do.
Loneliness can be a choice, but more often, rules and expectations create it out of fear of social exclusion. These rules may state that a 90-year-old is irrelevant to a young adult just starting their life, or a twelve-year-old can’t shoot hoops with someone in their early twenties. As the credits roll of Weisberg’s delightful and deep short, you may find yourself considering, like me, whether we are all lonelier because we live in a society that has become fragmented, polarised, less trusting, welcoming and kind.
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