And so it begins! The 2024 Cannes Film Festival is already upon us – as a new slate of movies from across the globe vie for distribution and the coveted Palme d’Or. One such contender is Andrea Arnold’s latest feature, “Bird,” which has secured MUBI as its distributor.
Arnold’s most recent feature, the harrowing documentary “Cow,” premiered at Cannes in 2021 to universal acclaim and was also picked up by Mubi, the two continuing their partnership. “Bird” is one of the most hotly anticipated of the festival, namely due to the exciting cast comprised of Oscar nominee Barry Keoghan and indie-darling Franz Rogowski, who will play the eponymous Bird. It will centre around a 12-year-old Bailey (portrayed by newcomer Nykiya Adams), as she seeks adventure away from her rough living conditions alongside her single father Bug (Keoghan). No trailer has been released, and not much is known about the plot. However, her 2009 breakout, “Fish Tank,” also followed a young girl in similar conditions and could provide some indication about some of the ideas the film will tackle, namely around working-class individuals and their lack of opportunities and confinement they feel.
“Fish Tank” won the jury prize at Cannes in 2009. Hence, Arnold is no stranger to Cannes prizes, and with “Bird” being up for both the Queer Palm and in competition for the Palme d’Or, it is not impossible to imagine this could end up as one of the favorites for many of the festivals. We’ll have to wait until we get our first reactions on Thursday, 16th May, when the film will premiere at the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
Mubi is not always able to run major awards campaigns, their last big contender being Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s 2021 “Drive My Car,” but they do prioritize picking up quality films with distinct visions, boasting a slate with “Aftersun,” “How to Have Sex,” and “Priscilla” in recent years. Last year, Wim Wender’s “Perfect Days” was able to secure a nomination in the Best International Feature category at the Oscars, so will Bird be next in line?
What is important to note is that Mubi does release its films theatrically, so we can expect to see “Bird” hit cinemas later in the year, although we do not have confirmation as of yet as to when this will be.
