Homing Instinct 2023

Directed by Lydia Dean Pilcher

'Homing Instinct' evokes a world of shifting layers, juxtaposing neorealism with the vast metaphysical sweep of nature. The audience is invited into a poetic and powerful aesthetic experience to imagine an interconnectedness as a species of nature in our changing world. The story is set in the near future in a desperate moment of rising sea level. Two friends face a federal executive order to evacuate New York City and relocate within 30 days. The metaphorical question arises, "Are you a fish or a bird?" Raven, a psychologist studying the roots of extremism, and Paloma, a marine biologist at the Coney Island Aquarium, encounter a time traveler in different ways. Existential questions around government authority and the individual are explored using the language of dance to reimagine our relationship with nature.