Bellbird (film)

Last updated

Bellbird
Bellbird poster.jpg
Directed by Hamish Bennett
Screenplay byHamish Bennett
Produced byOrlando Stewart, Catherine Fitzgerald
Starring
CinematographyGrant McKinnon
Edited byJason Pengelly
Music byKarl Steven
Production
companies
Herringbone Productions, Stella Maria
Distributed byTransmission Films
Release date
  • 2019 (2019)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryNZ
LanguageEnglish
Box office$421,494 [1]

Bellbird is a 2019 New Zealand drama comedy film written and directed by Hamish Bennett, and starring Marshall Napier, Rachel House and Annie Whittle. [2] [3] [4] [5] 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. [2]

Contents

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, [6] [5] and the "Jury Grand Prix" at the 2021 Antipodean Film Festival in Saint Tropez. [7]

Cast

Release

The film premiered at the Sydney Film Festival, [8] and was also screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. [9] before its theatrical release in November 2019. Bellbird grossed $421,494 in New Zealand and Australia. [1]

Reception

The film received glowing reviews.

The Hollywood Reporter 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". [5] In a review rated four and a half stars out of five, Stuff.co.nz 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." [4]

Variety hailed it as "a fondly bittersweet tribute to the rural Northland" with "some astute, understated writing and warm, witty supporting turns". [2] In a four out of five star review, The New Zealand Herald 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." [3] Newshub 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." [10]

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." [11] ScreenDaily 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." [12]

Awards

In 2021 the film won the Jury Grand Prix, Best feature film, at the Rencontres internationales du cinéma des Antipodes (Antipodean Film Festival). [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Price of Milk</i> 2000 New Zealand film

The Price of Milk is a 2000 New Zealand romantic fantasy film. It was directed by New Zealand actor and director Harry Sinclair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wairoa</span> Town in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Wairoa is a town and territorial authority district in New Zealand's North Island. The town is the northernmost in the Hawke's Bay region, and is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west of Māhia Peninsula. It is on State Highway 2, 118 kilometres (73 mi) northeast of Napier, and 92 kilometres (57 mi) southwest of Gisborne. Wairoa is the nearest town to the Te Urewera protected area and former national park that is accessible from Wairoa via State Highway 38. It is the largest town in the district of Wairoa, and is one of three towns in New Zealand, the others being Kawerau and Ōpōtiki, where Māori outnumber other ethnicities, with 62.29% of the population identifying as Māori.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Tolley</span> New Zealand politician

Anne Merrilyn Tolley is a New Zealand politician.

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 previously married to director and producer Bruce Morrison.

James Marshall Napier 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 has also had a notable stage career.

The Bet is a 2006 Australian film directed by Mark Lee.

<i>Samson and Delilah</i> (2009 film) 2009 Australian film

Samson and Delilah is a 2009 Australian drama film directed by Warwick Thornton and starring Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson, both young first-time actors. The film depicts two Indigenous Australian 14-year-olds living in a remote Aboriginal community who steal a car and escape their difficult lives by going to Alice Springs. It won many awards, including the Caméra d'Or at Cannes for best first feature.

<i>Beautiful Kate</i> 2009 Australian film by Rachel Ward

Beautiful Kate is a 2009 Australian drama film directed by Rachel Ward and starring Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, Maeve Dermody and Sophie Lowe.

Jack Yabsley is an Australian filmmaker and former television presenter. He has worked extensively in children's television and documentary.

Innocence is a 2000 Australian film directed by Paul Cox. The film deals with the story of two separated lovers who meet again accidentally after decades and fall in love again.

<i>The King Is Dead!</i> 2012 Australian film

The King Is Dead! is a 2012 Australian comedy drama thriller film directed by Rolf de Heer about a young couple who are tormented by the neighbour from hell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel House (actress)</span> New Zealand actress and director

Rachel Jessica Te Ao Maarama House is a New Zealand actress and director. She has received numerous accolades including an Arts Laureate, NZ Order of Merit, 'Mana Wahine' from WIFT NZ and Te Waipuna a Rangi for her contributions as an actor and director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodside Valley Estate</span>

Woodside Valley Estate is a premium Australian wine business originally focused on a vineyard near Yallingup, in the Margaret River wine region of Western Australia. Since 2012, the business and the vineyard have been separately owned.

Tilda Cobham-Hervey is an Australian actress. She made her film debut in 52 Tuesdays, a critically-acclaimed independent film directed by Sophie Hyde, and has also appeared on stage. She appeared in the 2018 film Hotel Mumbai, and starred as feminist icon Helen Reddy in the 2019 biopic I Am Woman. In 2023 she starred in the Amazon Prime TV series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.

<i>West of Sunshine</i> 2017 Australian film

West of Sunshine is 2017 Australian drama film directed by Jason Raftopoulos and starring Damian Hill. Set in Melbourne, it depicts an eventful day in the life of Jimmy, an inveterate gambler, and his estranged son Alex.

<i>Waru</i> (2017 film) 2017 New Zealand film

Waru is a 2017 New Zealand semi-anthology drama film about the tangi (funeral) of a small boy named Waru who dies at the hands of his caregiver, and how the boy's death impacts the community.

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 Zealand and Australian films, held annually in St Tropez in France since 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hamish Bennett (director)</span> New Zealand filmmaker and screenwriter

Hamish Bennett is a New Zealand filmmaker born in 1978. He is best known for writing and directing the critically acclaimed film Bellbird (2019). His second film Uproar was released in 2023.

Armağan Ballantyne is a New Zealand film director. She is best known for her feature films The Strength of Water (2009) and Nude Tuesday (2022).

<i>Limbo</i> (2023 film) 2023 Australian film directed by Ivan Sen

Limbo is a 2023 Australian independent mystery-crime film directed by Ivan Sen and starring Simon Baker, Rob Collins, Natasha Wanganeen and Nicholas Hope. The film had its world premiere in competition at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, on 23 February 2023, where it competed for Golden Bear.

References

  1. 1 2 "Bellbird (2019)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Adams, Tim (10 December 2019). "'Bellbird': Film Review". Variety . Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 Rudkin, Francesca (7 November 2019). "New rural dramedy Bellbird, a 'Joy to Watch' [Film Review]". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 Tuckett, Graeme (6 November 2019). "Bellbird: A sweet, poignant, achingly well written and quite beautiful movie". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bellbird: Film Review". Hollywood Reporter . 6 January 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "MACAO 2019 Awards Kirill Mikhanovsky's Give Me Liberty wins the fourth International Film Festival & Awards‧Macao". Cineuropa.org. 11 December 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "2021 Palmares". Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes. 25 May 2022. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "New Zealand Country of Focus at Sydney Film Festival". Nzfilm.co.nz. 10 May 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Bellbird Hamish Bennett New Zealand". Miff.com. 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Rodger, Kate (2 November 2019). "Review: Bellbird charming audiences with an ode to the NZ heartland". Newshub. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  11. ↑ Brady-Brown, Annabel (2 July 2020). "New Zealand comedy Bellbird explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life". Abc.net.au. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  12. ↑ Ward, SaraSarah (19 June 2019). "Bellbird: Sydney Review". Screendaily.com. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "All the Awards from Festival des Antipodes". Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.