This film opens with a hurried drive down a Los Angeles street. The driver is concerned for her passenger and offers words of comfort. Protected by a tiny box of wood and wire mesh, a hand-crocheted nest holds her charge, a wounded hummingbird named Wasabi. From its earliest moments, Every Little Thing plunges the viewer into the world of Terry Masear, who for years, has dedicated herself to nursing injured hummingbirds back to health. Masear hosts a hotline where “finders,” as she calls them, can reach her for advice or even bring her birds that are hurt. Delicate beaks and fluttering wings fill the screen: as seen here, the birds are gorgeous movie stars, and each has its own dramatic arc of triumphs and setbacks. As director Sally Aitken documents this painstaking work, she reveals the story of how Masear came to the role of caregiver and contemplates what it means to live a life rooted in small acts of compassion. ST