SCREENWRITER & PRODUCER

PIGEON KINGS OF BROOKLYN

Producer

> How to Watch
Three New Yorkers find poetry and their own religion, competing for the hearts and minds of a gaggle of pigeons high in the skies over Brooklyn.

From above an abandoned tenement building in the Bushwick neighbourhood of Brooklyn, 2 Tone tries to lure in the idealised ‘true pigeon, that’ll never break your heart’. On the other side of town, Goodwin and Super 13 tend to their own diverse 300-bird collection.

Each pigeon-keeper possesses an intimate knowledge of their flock, and shares the same goal of coaxing other keepers’ birds away. It’s a niche hobby in New York City, but it’s born of a human-animal bond that dates back thousands of years to when pigeons were first domesticated for their meat, before being bred as pets and message-carriers.

A refreshingly unique rooftop-level take on an endlessly scrutinised city, Pigeon Kings of Brooklyn delivers an intimate look at the birds who make cities their home, and the people who continue to value this interspecies relationship.


Producers: Ram Devineni, Ashok Sinha, and Martina Sönksen










ABOUT ME

MARTINA SÖNKSEN is a Brazilian screenwriter and producer with a background in Communication and Documentary Filmmaking. She is passionate about crafting people-centered storytelling.

Martina is the screenwriter and producer behind UÝRA - The Rising Forest (2022), a documentary film that has received international acclaim. The film was featured in prominent publications such as the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, and recognized by the Golden Globes Hollywood Press Association. It premiered at the 46th Frameline International Film Festival and was selected for the POV 36th Season Lineup on PBS. Winning 17 awards at international film festivals, it also launched an impact campaign to use the film as an educational tool in Amazonian riverside communities.

In television, Martina created, wrote, and co-directed the series SOBREPOSTAS (S01-2021/S02-2024) on Canal Brasil, available on Globoplay and hosted by singer Ana Cañas.

Martina also served as a theatre producer at iBT - Instituto Brasileiro de Teatro. Her filmography includes the documentary feature THE KARMA KILLINGS (2016) and the short documentary THE PIGEON KINGS OF BROOKLYN (2015).

Martina lived in Brooklyn, NY from 2010 to 2020 and currently resides in her hometown, São Paulo.

FILM AND TV CREDITS

UÝRA - THE RISING FOREST (2022)
SCREENWRITER AND PRODUCER

SOBREPOSTAS (S01-2021/S02-2024)
CO-CREATOR, CO-DIRECTOR AND SCREENWRITER

THE KARMA KILLINGS (2016)
CO-PRODUCER

THE PIGEON KINGS OF BROOKLYN (2015)
PRODUCER

BRANDED CONTENT CREDITS

GAMING QUEENS - Red Bull (2023)
SCREENWRITER

RECIPE FOR MAGIC - Coca-Cola (2023)
SCREENWRITER

CROSSING CULTURES - WhatsApp (2023)
SCREENWRITER

LABS AND GRANTS
Doc Society Climate Story Fund 2021

Climate Story Lab Amazônia 2021


Artistic Residency @ BRIClab Film+TV 2020
CONTACT INFO

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