Maine Film Center Waterville, ME
Serena Sanborn
Educator, Waterville Creates
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen— Umwelt: The sensory and sensational adventures of Baron Munchausen and other species
Program Description
Embark on a journey with science communicator Serena Sanborn as she delves into the concept of "umwelt"—the unique sensory world experienced by each organism. While humans navigate the world through our limited senses, we will invite you to ponder the intriguing perspective of creatures like owls or bats. What insights can we gain by contemplating how other beings perceive their surroundings? Join us in exploring the implications of our human perception on the world around us and how we might imagine the experiences of other species that inhabit our planet.
Presented At
Maine Film Center Waterville, ME
Film Synopsis
An account of Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences with his band of misfits.
In the late 18th century, the Turkish army lays siege to a European city where a theater production about the extraordinary heroics of famed German aristocrat Baron Münchhausen is underway. A man (John Neville) steps forward to object that the performance is full of inaccuracies, claiming that he is the real Baron Münchhausen. When the Turkish army approaches with gunfire, the baron undertakes his latest adventure with his promise to defend the city. Director Terry Gilliam based his outlandish film on the stories of Rudolf Erich Raspe, which defied the scientific certainties of the Age of Enlightenment.
About the Speaker
Serena Sanborn has worked for Waterville Creates in the Education Department for 5 years, during which time she won a Maine Arts Educator of the Year Award in 2021/2022. Before working for Waterville Creates, she worked for ten years as the lead science educator and communicator at a natural history museum and became a Maine Master Naturalist. She combines science and art as she leads trail walks, teaches nature journaling, volunteers for Dark Sky Maine, and advocates for moths, frogs, bats, and owls. She is currently obsessed with the science of the senses and taking people on walks to enjoy the forest at night!
This event is part of our 2024 National Evening of Science on Screen.