WHIRLYBIRD Documentary

Following the film, NBC News Correspondent & MSNBC Anchor Katy Tur leads a conversation between filmmaker Matt Yoka and subject Marika Gerrard.

In the 1980s and ‘90s, Marika Gerrard and Zoey Tur (known then as Bob) flew high above sprawling Los Angeles in their news helicopter. As a married couple, they were on the forefront of LA’s breaking news, the first to capture epic stories like the slow speed freeway chase of O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco. Their ambition and drive shaped journalism as we know it today, but the adrenaline rushes took a toll on their family life.

A complex and honest portrait, WHIRLYBIRD explores the adventure of an unconventional family business and considers America’s captivation with violence. Reflecting on the toxicity and obsession of their work, Marika and Zoey take us on a journey of self-discovery that is both painful and freeing. –Sarah Harris