Bellbird (film)

The film premiered at the Sydney Film Festival, and was also screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival. before its theatrical release in November 2019. Bellbird grossed $421,494 in New Zealand and Australia. ==Reception==

The film received glowing reviews. The Hollywood Reporter praised the film saying that "Bellbird has something special to offer", with "its lush green good looks" and its 'well-chosen cast". Their review noted "an undercurrent of humor that keeps the tone light" and "the subtlety of the actors and their ability to communicate wordlessly with each other". In a positive review, ABC Arts noted that Bennett's "characters are observed with a rare level of compassion which lifts everything it touches"; reviewer Annabel Brady-Brown remarks that the film also "explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life." ScreenDaily praised the actors' performances, writing: "Napier and Holloway turn in insightful, introspective performances that couldn’t better encapsulate the movie’s affectionately reflective mood. And while House, newcomer Retimana and Tamarapa have livelier, more comic parts, this is a film about empathy and balance in every respect, awarding its most amusing, laugh-out-loud moment belongs to its quietest character." ==Awards==

In 2021 the film won the Jury Grand Prix, Best feature film, at the Rencontres internationales du cinéma des Antipodes (Antipodean Film Festival). ==References==