Bellbird (film)
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''Bellbird'' is a 2019
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...
film written and directed by Hamish Bennett, and starring
Marshall Napier James Marshall Napier (22 October 1951 – 14 August 2022) was a New Zealand-born character actor, playwright and graphic artist. He is known for a succession of strong supporting roles in Australasian films and television shows. He also had a ...
,
Rachel House Rachel Jessica Te Ao Maarama House (born 20 October 1971) is a New Zealand actress and director. She is best known for her roles in the films of Taika Waititi. She has received numerous accolades including an Arts Laureate, NZ Order of Mer ...
and
Annie Whittle Annie Whittle is a British-born New Zealand singer and actress who has appeared on such shows as ''Shortland Street'', where she played Barbara Heywood for four years and has had a singing career that has spanned three decades. She was previousl ...
. The film is a story about loss, love and hope in a small rural community where the people are the heroes. It focuses on a father who is a farmer and his adult son, and how they face the bereavement of a wife and a mother respectively. The film also explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life. It is also a tribute to Bennett's childhood growing up in rural New Zealand. ''Bellbird'' is Bennett's feature debut. On its release, the film received widespread critical acclaim in New Zealand, Australia and the US. It was also awarded several prizes at film festivals. It received the "Best Screenplay Award" at the International Film Festival & Awards
Macao Macau or Macao is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most densely populated region in the world. Formerly a Portuguese colony, the ter ...
, and the "Jury Grand Prix" at the 2021
Antipodean Film Festival The Antipodean Film Festival (), variously referred to as Festival des Antipodes, Antipodes International Film Festival, Antipodes Film Festival Saint Tropez, Saint Tropez Film Festival and other variations, is a film festival showcasing New Ze ...
in
Saint Tropez Saint-Tropez ( , ; ) is a commune in the Var department and the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. It is west of Nice and east of Marseille, on the French Riviera, of which it is one of the best-known towns. In 2018 ...
.


Cast


Release

The film premiered at the
Sydney Film Festival The Sydney Film Festival is an annual competitive film festival held in Sydney, Australia, usually over 12 days in June. A number of awards are given, the top one being the Sydney Film Prize. , the festival's director is Nashen Moodley. Histo ...
, and was also screened at the
Melbourne International Film Festival The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venic ...
. before its theatrical release in November 2019. ''Bellbird'' grossed $421,494 in New Zealand and Australia.


Reception

The film received glowing reviews. ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' praised the film saying that "''Bellbird'' has something special to offer", with "its lush green good looks" and its 'well-chosen cast". Their review noted "an undercurrent of humor that keeps the tone light" and "the subtlety of the actors and their ability to communicate wordlessly with each other". In a review rated four and a half stars out of five, ''
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'' wrote: "''Bellbird'' is a sweet, poignant, achingly well written and quite beautiful film. It tells its story with a minimum of fuss and dialogue, but still leaves nothing uncertain. It is funny when it needs to be, but never backs off from tragedy and loss." ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' hailed it as "a fondly bittersweet tribute to the rural Northland" with "some astute, understated writing and warm, witty supporting turns". In a four out of five star review, ''
The New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation in New Zealand, ...
'' stated: "''Bellbird'' is a joy to watch – a warm, humorous, heartfelt film filled with loss, love and hope that had me laughing out loud one moment, and crying the next." ''
Newshub ''Newshub'' (stylised as Newshub.) was a New Zealand news service that operated from 1989 to 2024 and served as the local news division of Warner Bros. Discovery New Zealand until its closure. The division, known as ''3 News'' until 2016, had ...
'' rated it four-and-a-half stars, remarking: "It's the classic Kiwi connection of man and son, talking without talking, studiously steering clear of each other's pain in order not to ignite their own, and Bennett cleverly lets the sights and sounds of the farm do some of the talking for them, punctuating proceedings with bursts of genuine hilarity." In a positive review, ABC Arts noted that Bennett's "characters are observed with a rare level of compassion which lifts everything it touches"; reviewer Annabel Brady-Brown remarks that the film also "explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life." ''
ScreenDaily ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company which also owned ''Broadcast''. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involve ...
'' praised the actors' performances, writing: "Napier and Holloway turn in insightful, introspective performances that couldn’t better encapsulate the movie’s affectionately reflective mood. And while House, newcomer Retimana and Tamarapa have livelier, more comic parts, this is a film about empathy and balance in every respect, awarding its most amusing, laugh-out-loud moment belongs to its quietest character."


Awards

In 2021 the film won the Jury Grand Prix, Best feature film, at the
Rencontres internationales du cinéma des Antipodes The Antipodean Film Festival (), variously referred to as Festival des Antipodes, Antipodes International Film Festival, Antipodes Film Festival Saint Tropez, Saint Tropez Film Festival and other variations, is a film festival showcasing New Ze ...
(Antipodean Film Festival).


References


External links

*
"''Bellbird'' Press Kit"
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bellbird 2019 films 2019 comedy-drama films 2010s English-language films 2010 directorial debut films Māori-language films 2010s New Zealand films Films about mental health Films about autism Films about widowhood Films set in New Zealand New Zealand independent films Films about Māori people Films shot in New Zealand New Zealand romance films New Zealand drama films New Zealand comedy films 2019 independent films Films about father–son relationships English-language comedy-drama films English-language independent films