BIRD

Andrea Arnold is considered one of the most outstanding contemporary directors, and for good reason. As a leading voice in British social-realist cinema, she never confines herself simply to observing grey urban communities grappling with social and economic hardship. She is gifted with an unusual sensitivity and portrays her characters by capturing the complexity of the situations in which they find themselves. Her latest coming-of-age film, a BAFTA 2025-nominated BIRD, is no exception.

Blending social realism with a touch of the fairytale, Bailey depicts the rebellious 12-year-old Bailey (newcomer Nykiya Adams) living in a squat with her father and older brother. Her mother struggles with an abusive partner and raises three children on her own, which makes the girl sensitive to injustice and deaf to the suffering of others, so she seeks a solution in a group of young, self-appointed guardians of the law. Meanwhile, her father, Bug (played excellently by Barry Keoghan), is immature and unprepared for his role, but tries clumsily to show his affection to his daughter. His relationship with his children is more like that of a friend than a parent. The final straw is Bug's decision to marry his partner, whom Bailey dislikes. 

An escape from reality falls from the sky when the girl meets the enigmatic Bird (Franz Rogowski), who is searching for his own family. This unusual relationship opens Bailey's eyes to the uniqueness of blood ties. What's to underline is that Arnold is far from judging her maturing character as they stumble through a hostile world.

The Oscar-winning director of WASP handles her characters with delicacy and compassion, recognising their urgent need to break free from a harsh, unyielding reality. Bailey, like many of Arnold’s protagonists, yearns for moments of magic – and the director dares to break with pure realism to let her glimpse the extraordinary. But Arnold’s true artistry lies in also finding warmth within the grit, proving that tenderness can exist not only in fairytale fragments but also in the tough fabric of real life.

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Text: Michał Sołtysek