BFF25: The Thing with Feathers

Australian Premiere

When a young father, portrayed with heart-rending vulnerability by Benedict Cumberbatch, loses his wife, the home he shares with his two sons becomes a place heavy with silence. Into that silence bursts an enormous crow - a presence that is loud, unpredictable, and impossible to ignore. More than just an intruder, the bird becomes a force that mirrors their grief: sometimes cruel, sometimes comical, and, at unexpected moments, strangely protective.

Based on Max Porter’s celebrated novella Grief Is the Thing with Feathers, the film brings the metaphor vividly to life, showing how the crow invades their routines, unsettles their world, and refuses to let them retreat from sorrow. Yet as days unfold, what first feels monstrous becomes a companion of sorts and pushes the family to confront pain, remember love, and discover a way forward.

Visually arresting and emotionally resonant, The Thing with Feathers is a powerful exploration of loss that reminds us healing often arrives in the most unexpected of forms.

Director: Dylan Southern
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, David Thewlis, Eric Lampaert, Vinette Robinson, Henry Boxall, Richard Boxall

OFFICIAL SELECTION | Sundance Film Festival 2025
OFFICIAL SELECTION | Berlin Film Festival 2025