Bird

For her first feature film since American Honey (2016), Andrea Arnold offers us her unique take on British-style social realism, infusing it with a surprising amount of wonder. Eccentric and, in the end deeply moving, we follow twelve-year-old Bailey (Nykiya Adams, a formidable revelation) living in a squat with her young father Bug (Barry Keoghan), the king of hustle. Independent and rebellious, she roams the streets and fields and meets the enigmatic Bird, whose initiatory quest she will embrace. To this wholly magical character, Franz Rogowski brings his talents as a dancer and choreographer, with his distinctive way of inhabiting space. Visually splendid and emotionally rich, deeply empathetic and full of genuine hope, Bird is completely mesmerizing. (FNC)

Cannes 2024 — Official Selection