Bird

Source: Atsushi Nishijima/Cornerstone

‘Bird’

Mubi has bought UK-Ireland rights to Andrea Arnold’s Bird, ahead of its Cannes Competition launch on Thursday.

The distributor acquired the film from Cornerstone Films, which is handling international rights and co-representing the US sale with CAA Media Finance.

Bird tells the story of Bailey, a 12-year-old girl living with her single father and brother in a North Kent squat. As her father has little time for her, Bailey, who is approaching puberty, seeks adventure elsewhere.

Barry Keoghan stars as the father, with Franz Rogowski also on the cast alongside newcomers Nykiya Adams and Jason Buda.

Bird was written and directed by Arnold, and produced by Lee Groombridge, and Juliette Howell and Tessa Ross for their House Productions. It was developed and financed by BBC Film, and backed by the BFI awarding National Lottery funding.

It is Arnold’s first film since 2021 documentary Cow – also released by Mubi in multiple territories - and first fiction feature since 2016’s American Honey.