Spotlight: Orchids in the Wild

By Gus Mollasis 

---

November 2020—Darryl Saffer and Stig Dalstrom are on a creative mission. 

Saffer, an audio-visual artist, and Dalstrom, a painter and botanist known as “Wild Orchid Man,” have traveled together to the far reaches of the globe. They’ve encountered breathtaking waterfalls, dense rain forests, unique animals, and rare orchids–and captured them on screen. Through their documentary filmmaking, and with support from the Sarasota Orchid Society, they inspire us to protect a precious, disappearing world.

The Selby Connection

The duo first met at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens when Dalstrom was working as Curator of the Orchid Identification Center, specializing in the Oncidiinae (Orchidaceae), particularly the Andean genera Cochlioda, Cyrtochilum, Odontoglossum and Oncidium. On this particular day, Saffer was filming the first blooming of the giant Amorphophallus titanum plant.

“I was asked to come in and do a time-lapse of a big stinky plant,” laughs Saffer. “So I did. And I met Stig there and we chatted a bit. He’s a very fine botanical artist. We just seemed to hit it off and we did a short piece together for the Orchid Ball at Selby. His paintings and my music and video. We said ‘this is fun’ and came to the conclusion that we should come up with a bigger project.”

For a while, the new friends went their own way. Dalstrom kept busy with botanical illustrations and research in Costa Rica and Ecuador while Saffer shot and composed for environmental projects, such as “Jubilee’s Journey” for renowned conservationist Jane Goodall. 

It took ten years for the pair to embark on their first trip together. They headed south to the Everglades and Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve to hunt for the rare Ghost Orchid. The result was a film with a small budget and a long name: “The Wild Orchid Man in the Ghost Orchid Swamp.”

A successful showing at Burns Court Cinema in Sarasota surprised them both. Audience members opened their eyes, hearts, and minds to the importance of this work. Encouraged, Saffer proposed more films about Dalstrom’s passionate pursuit of orchids. The Sarasota Orchid Society, a non-profit organization that supports conservation, biodiversity, and education, stepped in and offered support to help expand the series. 

That was the birth of the “Wild Orchid Man” series of documentaries, all set in hard-to-find spots away from the hustle and bustle of man’s big footprints. Far from loud places and loud voices. They take us on a journey of discovery to contemplate the natural world, not just with our eyes, but also with heart and head. 

True Collaboration

Dalstrom lives in a Sarasota apartment surrounded by his artistic renderings and plants from around the world. “I love going into the wild,” he says. “I love to paint a real orchid as I have seen it in nature.”

When Dalstrom talks about botanical discoveries, his native Swedish accent is pronounced. Saffer’s native southern Texas accent is less obvious, but still audible. But despite their varied backgrounds, the two men share an artistic vision. 

Dalstrom describes their work together in glowing terms. “It’s sheer pleasure. Joy. We don’t get any financial rewards out of this—but we do get a lot of feedback from people who enjoy and donate to the Sarasota Orchid Society, which is the mother organization for us,” he says. “They have been very generous with funding and helping to pay for travel expenses.” 

Dalstrom narrates their films, while Saffer is director, cinematographer, and musical composer. “While I love plants, I also love wildlife. I love reptiles—snakes in particular. So I have no problem following Darryl in his pursuit of wildlife,” Dalstrom says. “We think very much alike. We don’t need a lot of words. Darryl is not a man of many words.” 

“When we are out there and we see an interesting animal or orchid, here comes the camera right in my face. I’m supposed to say something—improvise something reasonably intelligent—without any comments from him.”

“If I say something wrong—I can see him chuckling and the camera starts shaking. If it’s really bad, he takes the camera down and just looks at me, and says ‘okay, we’ll do that again,’” he says.

The duo doesn’t use a manuscript during the shoot, and afterwards may add a voice over. “He wants me to be myself,” says Dalstrom. “I’m Swedish – not very emotional. John Cleese’s version of Hell is where the English cook and the Swedes were in charge of humor. When Darryl asks me to come up with something witty, I tell him, ‘Even comedians write out their jokes.’”

And what about inspiration for the musical scores? “I don’t know where it comes from,” Saffer admits. “Sometimes I see music as a sculpture. As a form. Other times, without any conscious input from my brain, my hands just produce it.”

The results reflect hard work, alchemy, and a unique connection. “We’re more brothers than colleagues,” says Saffer. 

The two men continue to work together in the hope that more people will see what they see.

Sharing the Vision

Their documentary series includes “Wild Orchid Man: In The Mountains Of Amazonas,” in 2012, “Wild Orchid Man In The Land Of The White Bear” in 2014, and “Wild Orchid Man: Journey To Machu Picchu,” in 2015. The latest, released in January 2020, is “Wild Orchid Man in the Devil’s Realm,” set in Tasmania.

Now, many years and films later and with a rucksack full of journeys and memories from all over the world, the two prepare to introduce their latest work: “Wild Orchid Man and the Queen of Sheba.” They hoped to debut the newest documentary at the Sarasota Orchid Show in January 2021. For safety during the pandemic, this event has been canceled and screenings of the new film have been postponed.

“The more you look into anything, or do any kind of research, the more overwhelmed you can become,” says Dalstrom. “It’s so complex, so deep, and so fantastic. It just stimulates me and triggers my imagination. That’s why I want to paint orchids, to show the color and how they grow. I can jump and I can scream when I find something extraordinary.” 

It’s his fervent wish that people take a moment to put down their phones and discover the beauty that surrounds them. 

“Our films are about educating people,” confirms Saffer. “They not only deal with orchids and the eco-system, but they deal with the history and the culture of the area of where they live. Hopefully, they give a picture of how diverse the world is. And how important that diversity is.” 

“There’s peace and serenity and centering with the planet,” he says. “And you realize that these mountains have been here long before we were and will be here long after us.” 

For more information, visit wildorchidman.com or sarasotaorchidsociety.org.