Solitary ornithologist Fernando is looking for endangered black storks along a remote river in northern Portugal when he is swept away by rapids. After being rescued by two Chinese pilgrims he plunges into the dark eerie forest, where he encounters obstacles and is put to the test. He is driven to extreme actions and gradually becomes a different man – inspired, multifaceted and finally enlightened. Disassociative identity, ritual and the erotic accompany Fernando’s struggle to survive in this meditation on the nature of faith. Retelling the life story of St Anthony of Padua, The Ornithologist is as beautiful as it is mystifying.