/l7U8hKJsDL2DfYg7nYUACewg9d0.jpg
Drama

White Bird

- One act of kindness lives on forever.

After being expelled from Beecher Prep for his treatment of a classmate with a facial deformity, Julian has struggled to fit in at his new school. To transform his life, Julian's grandmother finally reveals her own story of courage of her youth in Nazi-occupied France, where a classmate shelters her from mortal danger.

Release Date : 2023-10-25

Language :EnglishFrenchGerman

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : ParticipantMandeville Films2DUX²Kingdom Story CompanyLionsgateMedia Capital Technologies

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : White Bird: A Wonder Story

Cast

Ariella Glaser

Character Name : Sara (Young Grandmére)

Original Name : Ariella Glaser

Gender : Female

Orlando Schwerdt

Character Name : Julien Beaumier

Original Name : Orlando Schwerdt

Gender : Male

Bryce Gheisar

Character Name : Julian Albans

Original Name : Bryce Gheisar

Gender : Male

Gillian Anderson

Character Name : Vivienne Beaumier

Original Name : Gillian Anderson

Gender : Female

Helen Mirren

Character Name : Grandmére

Original Name : Helen Mirren

Gender : Female

Jo Stone-Fewings

Character Name : Jean-Paul Beaumier

Original Name : Jo Stone-Fewings

Gender : Male

Patsy Ferran

Character Name : Mille. Petitjean

Original Name : Patsy Ferran

Gender : Female

Stuart McQuarrie

Character Name : Pastor Luc

Original Name : Stuart McQuarrie

Gender : Male

Olivia Ross

Character Name : Rose Blum

Original Name : Olivia Ross

Gender : Female

Ishai Golan

Character Name : Max Blum

Original Name : Ishai Golan

Gender : Male

Nadine Leon Gobet

Character Name : Robyn

Original Name : Nadine Leon Gobet

Gender : Male

John Bubniak

Character Name : Gendarme Marc

Original Name : John Bubniak

Gender : Male

Jim High

Character Name : Milice Commander

Original Name : Jim High

Gender : Male

Philip Lenkowsky

Character Name : Rabbi Bernstein

Original Name : Philip Lenkowsky

Gender : Male

James Beaumont

Character Name : Pastor Robert

Original Name : James Beaumont

Gender : Male

Teagan Stark

Character Name : Dillon

Original Name : Teagan Stark

Gender : Male

Priya Ghotane

Character Name : Rhamiya

Original Name : Priya Ghotane

Gender : Male

Yelisey Kazakevich

Character Name : Henri

Original Name : Yelisey Kazakevich

Gender : Male

Jem Matthews

Character Name : Vincent

Original Name : Jem Matthews

Gender : Male

Sam Talacko

Character Name : Claude

Original Name : Sam Talacko

Gender : Male

Timon McLean

Character Name : Sean

Original Name : Timon McLean

Gender : Male

Selma Kaymakci

Character Name : Mariann

Original Name : Selma Kaymakci

Gender : Male

Lily Huong Mac

Character Name : Phoebe

Original Name : Lily Huong Mac

Gender : Male

Adam Bakule

Character Name : Arlo

Original Name : Adam Bakule

Gender : Male

Anise Napoleao dos Reis

Character Name : Lucy

Original Name : Anise Napoleao dos Reis

Gender : Male

Jordan Cramond

Character Name : Jerome

Original Name : Jordan Cramond

Gender : Male

Laura Hudečková

Character Name : Sara Blum (5yo / 8yo)

Original Name : Laura Hudečková

Gender : Female

Kevan Van Thompson

Character Name : Doorman

Original Name : Kevan Van Thompson

Gender : Male

Mia Kadlecova

Character Name : Sophie

Original Name : Mia Kadlecova

Gender : Male

Vladimír Javorský

Character Name : Georges / Cinema Owner

Original Name : Vladimír Javorský

Gender : Male

Cyril Dobrý

Character Name : French Resistance #1

Original Name : Cyril Dobrý

Gender : Male

Jeremy Tichy

Character Name : French Resistance #2

Original Name : Jeremy Tichý

Gender : Male

Patsy Ferran

Character Name : Mlle Petitjean

Original Name : Patsy Ferran

Gender : Female

Markéta Richterová

Character Name : Madame Ballou

Original Name : Markéta Richterová

Gender : Female

Beatrice Holdingova

Character Name : Ruth

Original Name : Beatrice Holdingova

Gender : Male

Mac Clemons

Character Name : Antoine

Original Name : Mac Clemons

Gender : Male

Kryštof Bartoš

Character Name : School Round-Up Commander

Original Name : Kryštof Bartoš

Gender : Male

Martin David

Character Name : Tall German Soldier

Original Name : Martin David

Gender : Male

Sebastian Jacques

Character Name : German Soldier

Original Name : Sebastian Jacques

Gender : Male

Jiří Vojta

Character Name : French Gendarme #1

Original Name : Jiří Vojta

Gender : Male

Ondrej Novak

Character Name : French Gendarme #2

Original Name : Ondrej Novak

Gender : Male

Simon Mestdagh

Character Name : Milice Officer #1

Original Name : Simon Mestdagh

Gender : Male

Zuko Garagic

Character Name : Milice Officer #2

Original Name : Zuko Garagic

Gender : Male

Aleš Bílík

Character Name : French Resistance #3

Original Name : Aleš Bílík

Gender : Male

Stepanka Sigmundova

Character Name : Woman in Paris

Original Name : Stepanka Sigmundova

Gender : Male

Zuzana Hodková

Character Name : Madame Lafleur

Original Name : Zuzana Hodková

Gender : Female

Miroslav Táborský

Character Name : Monsieur Lafleur

Original Name : Miroslav Táborský

Gender : Male

John Comer

Character Name : Sewer Worker

Original Name : John Comer

Gender : Male

John Bubniak

Character Name : French Gendarme #3

Original Name : John Bubniak

Gender : Male

Florian Köhler

Character Name : French Gendarme #4

Original Name : Florian Köhler

Gender : Male

Garrett Moore

Character Name : Road Block Commander

Original Name : Garrett Moore

Gender : Male

Miroslav Lhotka

Character Name : German Troop

Original Name : Miroslav Lhotka

Gender : Male

Roman Horák

Character Name : Milice Driver

Original Name : Roman Horák

Gender : Male

Filip Finkelštejn

Character Name : German Sharp Shooter

Original Name : Filip Finkelštejn

Gender : Male

Stanislav Callas

Character Name : German Soldier #2

Original Name : Stanislav Callas

Gender : Male

Martina Sluková

Character Name : Nervous Patient

Original Name : Martina Sluková

Gender : Male

Daniel Brown

Character Name : Brave Patient

Original Name : Daniel Brown

Gender : Male

Jakub Laurych

Character Name : Bandaged Patient

Original Name : Jakub Laurych

Gender : Male

Harry Thompson

Character Name : Bearded Patient

Original Name : Harry Thompson

Gender : Male

Taťjana Medvecká

Character Name : Madame Bernstein

Original Name : Taťjana Medvecká

Gender : Female

Jiří Kraus

Character Name : Farm Truck Driver

Original Name : Jiří Kraus

Gender : Male

Tabea Lara Riek

Character Name : Sara (age 25 and 40)

Original Name : Tabea Lara Riek

Gender : Male

Rebecca Louise Monaghan

Character Name : Sara's Daughter (age 14)

Original Name : Rebecca Louise Monaghan

Gender : Female

Luis Eduard Tames

Character Name : Sara's Son (age 9)

Original Name : Luis Eduard Tames

Gender : Male

Sean Brodeur

Character Name : Older Sara's Groom

Original Name : Sean Brodeur

Gender : Male

Octavio Molina

Character Name : Best Man #1

Original Name : Octavio Molina

Gender : Male

Nick Saaf

Character Name : Best Man #2

Original Name : Nick Saaf

Gender : Male

Damian Odess-Gillett

Character Name : Event Organizer

Original Name : Damian Odess-Gillett

Gender : Male

Timon McLean

Character Name : Friend of Dillon

Original Name : Timon McLean

Gender : Male

Anise Napoleono dos Reis

Character Name : Lucy

Original Name : Anise Napoleono dos Reis

Gender : Male

Lily Mac

Character Name : Phoebe

Original Name : Lily Mac

Gender : Male

Reviews

B

Brent Marchant

@Brent_Marchant

2024-12-04

Teachable moments can prove integral to the personal growth and development of those coming of age. So it is for 15-year-old Julian Albans (Bryce Gheisar), the central figure featured in the Wonder series of books and graphic novels, the inspiration behind a 2017 film of the same name and this loosely connected new sequel offering. The story here picks up where its predecessor left, with Julian resuming his scholastic life at a new private academy after having been expelled from his prior school. He’s not sure how to fit in, especially when confronted by others with similar kinds of bad behavior that got him booted from his old school. Now, though, he has an opportunity to change his destiny and begin anew, largely thanks to a visit from his Parisian grandmother, renowned artist Sara Blum (Helen Mirren), who visits his family in New York to attend a museum retrospective of her work. Sara can see that Julian is struggling, and so she launches into a story about her life when she was his age in hopes that it will help. She chronicles in detail the ordeals she faced when living in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. As a Jew, she sought to evade captivity at the hands of the Germans and their French collaborators, receiving unexpected aid from a kind young classmate (fittingly named Julien (Orlando Schwerdt)) who was afflicted with polio and struggled to walk with the aid of a crutch. Having been the subject of unrelenting, unprompted ridicule due to his disability, Julien could relate to the scorn being inflicted on young Sara (Ariella Glaser), stepping in to protect her with the help of his compassionate parents (Gillian Anderson, Jo Stone-Fewings). Through a series of extended flashbacks, the elder Sara thus relates her story, focusing on the virtues of what kindness can accomplish for those in need, a message her grandson needs to hear if he expects to make a fresh start, just the kind of teachable moment she believes he can use. Director Marc Forster has thus capably assembled an enlightening tale for impressionable young adult audiences, especially in an age when those values are being severely tested in all corners of contemporary society. Tolerance, compassion and kindness are clearly the principal virtues being championed here (admittedly sometimes a little too obviously, clichéd and heavy-handedly for my tastes), but sometimes it takes such a commanding approach to drive these messages home, especially in frequently self-absorbed times like these. The film also tends to sag in the middle, with pacing that could stand to be quickened, garrulous dialogue that could have been sharper and more succinct, and periodic changes in tone that are a little too drastic to be credible. Nevertheless, there are many compelling and heartwarming moments in this release, making it a good family viewing option and a suitable choice for younger viewers who might find a grittier treatment of its subject matter to be a little too intense for them to handle. Either way, there are valuable lessons to be gained from screening “White Bird” despite its shortcomings, and that could go a long way toward helping to reshape the values needed for creating a better world.