In 1908, amateur naturalist and filmmaker Percy Smith captivated audiences with his groundbreaking film of a juggling fly. Considered the father of Natural History film, Smith was a highly influential visual innovator who developed techniques still used today. A brilliant but unconventional man, the film follows his life from his early films to the tragic collapse of his house during a mold experiment, culminating in his suicide. The film also introduces Sir David Attenborough, who was deeply inspired by Smith's work in the 1930s and that ultimately led him to a career in natural history.