Broken Bird may not be on your radar just yet, horror fans, but maybe it should be. The film premiered as London’s FrightFest in 2024 and went on to be nominated for the Emerging Raven Award at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. It’s headed to theaters this weekend and we at Fango have an exclusive look at what this phsychological horror/drama has to offer. Check it out for yourself below.
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The clip sees Rebecca Calder, who viewers may recognize from last year’s smash hit The Conjuring: Last Rites, as a lonely mortician. Despite her chosen line of work, she’s downright shocked to see what’s inside the body bag on the table. The other doctor, meanwhile, is unbothered. Some poor man got into an accident and, well, his guts are literally spilling out of him. The shot lingers just long enough to show us how real those guts look. It’s pretty gnarly.
Serving as the feature directorial debut of Joanne Mitchell, the movie also stars James Fleet (Sense And Sensibility, The Devil's Hour) and Sacharissa Claxton (Avenue 5, Silo). Mitchell co-wrote the movie alongside Dominic Brunt (Evie) and Tracey Sheals. It’s based on Mitchell’s short film Sybil. As for what it’s all about? The synopsis for the movie reads as follows:
“In Broken Bird, a lonely mortician with a poetic soul (Calder), searches for love and belonging—but as grief and desire collide, her need for connection takes a disturbingly intimate turn.
“Broken Bird is exactly the kind of bold, character-driven filmmaking that defines Catalyst Studios,” said Holly Levow, Executive Lead and Co-Founder of Catalyst Studios. “Joanne Mitchell has crafted a haunting and emotionally resonant film that stays with you long after the credits roll, and Rebecca Calder delivers a truly unforgettable performance. We’re thrilled to bring this powerful debut to audiences nationwide.”
This is just one of several new international horror movies to add to your watch list, hailing from the United Kingdom. The movie enjoyed a successful festival run earlier this year, earning a surprising amount of critical acclaim. While it will undoubtedly change, as of this writing, it holds a perfect 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Zoe Stewart, Holly Levow, Mark Pennell and Paul Kampf are on board as producers. Jay Taylor (Scream of the Wolf) and Jelena Moore (The Ark) round out the cast.
Broken Bird hits theaters on April 24.
