Synopsis

Noah leaves London behind for the industrial banks of the Thames, where they’re invited into a state of in-between, as the city fades away and the river turns to sea.

A meditative, voiceover-driven film written by Zohrab Yoncali, based on the PhD research by Nic Farr.

Festivals

• Final Shortlist of the 2026 Iris prize Best British Short- in association with Iris Prize, Bluebird will broadcast on Film4 and stream on All 4 for one year

• Selected into the 2026 Official Selection at Aesthetica Film Festival (Bluebird, Producer and Director)

• More announcements coming soon

Director Statement

Having spent the majority of my childhood in the Lake District, UK, I developed a strong relationship to nature. When placed in nature, we are given the opportunity to come to terms with ourselves.

When I received Nic Farr’s PhD research on ‘Walking-scenographic methods of encountering bodies and landscapes in transition’ (2026), I was immediately drawn to the notion of their work, and eager to turn it into a film. I wanted Nic’s work to reach an audience outside of the academic field, and for the research to have the opportunity to breathe out its visual poetry.

Bluebird is a pensive and meditative film, giving the audience the space to find their own selves within the story. It invites them to enter a reflective state. This state is important to me as a director; I believe it is crucial that we find opportunities to pause, breath, and engage with our reflections on the self.

Bluebird’s ultra-wide ratio means that we gather as large a breadth of the landscape as possible, and we don’t miss out on any of nature’s movements; the passing of a bird, the rolling of a wave—all of these details allow for serendipitous conversation to unfold between Noah, the landscape and the viewer.

Director of Photography: Samira Oberberg