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English-spoken feature film in which the Caucasian Melody travels to her native village of Fairlands to bury her only daughter. Fairlands is a former mining town that is slowly disappearing under the sand due to persistent sand storms. Only a few people are left in the hamlet, where ostriches walk among the houses. During the funeral, Melody finds out she has a grandson. The local mailman, the jet-black Scoop, turns out to be the father. River, as the boy is called, and his pals make up a strange children's army, of which he is the rigid dictator. The mother and her unofficial son-in-law cannot get on very well, because Melody wants to take River away from the perishing settlement. She tries to tidy Scoop's filthy house, while aiming to teach the rowdy River some good manners. The Bird Can't Fly is a drama about a deviant, fairy-like place where special laws apply. Nevertheless, a single-minded woman tries to bend life to her will.

Title: The Bird Can't Fly
Year: 2007
Duration : 1 hour, 27 minutes
Category: Feature film
Edition: NFF 2007

Gouden Kalf nominees

Beste Camera (2007)
Guido van Gennep (NSC)
Beste Geluid (2007)
Peter Flamman

Other awards

Filmprijs van de Stad Utrecht (2007)

NFF Archive

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Stills

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