Written by Zoe Crombie

When it comes to the British tradition of social realist cinema, we’re lucky enough to be living contemporaneously to the careers of some masterful directors in the genre: Mike Leigh, Ken Loach, and, perhaps most excitingly, Andrea Arnold. Kicking off her career with gritty big-city dramas like Red Road and Fish Tank before crossing the pond to direct critically acclaimed American series like Transparent and Big Little Lies, she has returned to the UK in recent years with two animal-titled projects: the dairy documentary Cow, and today’s topic Bird.

Another coming-of-age story in the vein of Fish Tank, this time set in Arnold’s hometown of Kent, Bird follows Bailey, a twelve-year-old girl living with her brother Hunter and her father Bug in a social-realist fairy tale. Lacking attention from either of her parents and searching for a life outside of the squat, Bailey meets Bird, an eccentric who broadens her perspective beyond the drudgery and violence she associates with home.

Containing a sense of playfulness, absurdism, and even fantasy that prevents it from becoming too dour even amidst moments of violence and misery, Bird is an energetic take on girlhood in poverty struck Britain. A Kes infused tale for the 21^st century, this is Arnold digging back at her roots and bringing up unpolished gold.

See Bird from the 22nd to 28th November

See and Book Tickets Here!