- Bridge Michigan hosted its latest Culture Club, featuring a discussion of ‘The Invisible Mammal’
- The documentary featured filmmaker Kristin Tièche, who answered questions about the film and offered insight into her creative process.
- Filmmaker Kristin Tièche dispelled myths about bats and talked about their role in the ecosystem
Bridge Culture Club returned Wednesday to discuss “The Invisible Mammal,” a documentary about female scientists working to save bats from a fungal disease in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The event featured filmmaker Kristin Tièche, who answered questions about the film and offered insight into the methods the team used to capture bats on film. Among other things, the documentary lifts up bats’ importance to the ecosystem.
The film features an all-woman team of scientists working in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and across North America on Operation Fat Bat, a pioneering conservation project to save bats from white-nose syndrome by helping them build up fat reserves before hibernation.
Related links:
- Watch Bridge Culture Club discussion of ‘I Cheerfully Refuse’ with author Leif Enger
- Watch Bridge Culture Club discussion of ‘Shadows Beyond the Pines’ with author Donna Cross Toran
- Watch Bridge Culture Club discussion of ‘Enough to Lose’ with author RS Deeren
During the virtual discussion, Tièche discussed how bats are misunderstood and pose little threat to humans. Showing bats up close in the hands of scientists and highlighting their critical role in the ecosystem, Tièche said she hopes to replace fear with fascination and understanding.
Watch the video here:
Bridge Michigan hosts bimonthly discussions on books with ties to Michigan. More than 210 members received a free copy of “The Invisible Mammal.” If you would like free electronic copies of future selections, join Bridge today.
This was Bridge’s final Culture Club event of 2025. If you have suggestions for future books, films or podcasts with connections to Michigan, please share them with us on this form.Previous Culture Club discussions have featured “The World According to Fannie Davis” by Bridgett M. Davis, “Arc of Justice” by Kevin Boyle, “The Women of the Copper Country” by Mary Doria Russell, “Black Bottom Saints” by Alice Randall, “Annie’s Ghosts: A Journey into a Family Secret” by Steve Luxenberg, “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes” by Dan Egan, “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley, “Wounds” by Razel Jones and Daniel Abbott, “The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls” by Anissa Gray, “The Other Me” by Sarah Zachrich Jeng, “The Dockporter” by Dave McVeigh and Jim Bolone, “You Cannot Resist Me When My Hair is in Braids” by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang “The King of Confidence” by Miles Harvey, “What the Eyes Don’t See” by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, “American Salvage” by Bonnie Jo Campbell, “We Kept Our Towns Going” by Phyllis Michael Wong, the film “Bad Axe,” directed by David Siev, “Once We Were Here” by Christopher Cosmos, “August Snow” by Stephen Mack Jones, “Tin Camp Road” by Ellen Airgood, “Dearborn” by Ghassan Zeineddine, the film “Pelkie,” directed by Michael Loukinen, “Impermanence” by Sue Leaf, “Know the Mother” by Desiree Cooper, the film “Rouge” by Hamoody Jaafar and Razi Jafri, the short story collection “Enough to Lose” by RS Deeren, “Shadows Beyond the Pines” by Dianna Cross Toran, and “I Cheerfully Refuse” by Leif Enger.
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