Comprised primarily of footage shot in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in southwestern Kenya in 1976, this documentary film by Shep Abbott tells the story of the relationship he and the film’s narrator Lisa Lindblad (Abbott’s wife at the time) had with the Maasai people, the traditional inhabitants of this region. In this one-hour film, the subject of the gradual disappearance of migratory routes for over 1 million wildebeest and zebra serves as a focal point in a much larger story about conservation and the need to balance the demands of the modern world with those of indigenous populations.

The film is touchingly narrated by Lindblad, who at first celebrates, then ultimately mourns, the gradual disappearance of Serengeti Mara. Mike Nichols, director of such films as The Graduate, Wolf and The Birdcage, called the film “some kind of masterpiece.” It is shot in 16mm color, which has since been digitized. This event is free for members and is included with Museum admission.