Underplayed Gems

Bellbird (2019)

Bellbird poster
Directed by
Hamish Bennett
Genre
comedy, drama
Country
New Zealand
Runtime
1h 36m
Rated
M
Rating
5.8 of 10 from 9 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
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How it feels

A dairy farmer and his adult son struggle with the loss of the family's wife and mother. The film shows how their small rural community helps them cope with grief and find hope again.

gentlemelancholicwarmunderstatedbittersweettenderearthyslow-paced

What happens

Bellbird is a 2019 New Zealand drama comedy film written and directed by Hamish Bennett, and starring Marshall Napier, Rachel House and Annie Whittle. 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, and the "Jury Grand Prix" at the 2021 Antipodean Film Festival in Saint Tropez. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

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