Blue Heron (film)
| Blue Heron | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Sophy Romvari |
| Written by | Sophy Romvari |
| Produced by | Ryan Bobkin Sara Wylie Sophy Romvari Gábor Osváth |
| Starring | Eylul Guven Amy Zimmer Ádám Tompa Iringó Réti |
| Cinematography | Maya Bankovic |
| Edited by | Kurt Walker |
Production companies | Nine Behind Productions Boddah |
Release date |
|
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Countries | Canada Hungary |
| Languages | English Hungarian |
Blue Heron is a Canadian-Hungarian drama film, directed by Sophy Romvari and slated for release in 2025.[1] Based in part on Romvari's own childhood, the film stars Eylul Guven as Sasha, the eight-year-old daughter of a Hungarian immigrant family who relocate to Vancouver Island in the late 1990s while their oldest son Jeremy (Edik Beddoes) displays increasingly dangerous behavioural issues in their new environment.[1]
The cast also includes Ádám Tompa and Iringó Réti as Sasha's parents, Liam Serg and Preston Drabble as Sasha’s brothers, and Amy Zimmer as Adult Sasha.
The film, Romvari's full-length directorial debut, received production funding from both Telefilm Canada[2] and the National Film Institute Hungary,[1] and entered production in 2024.[1]
Cast
- Eylul Guven as Sasha
- Iringó Réti as Mother
- Ádám Tompa as Father
- Edik Beddoes as Jeremy
- Amy Zimmer as Adult Sasha
- Liam Serg as Henry
- Preston Drabble as Felix
Release
Blue Heron had its world premiere at the 78th Locarno Film Festival on August 8, 2025, as part of the Concorso Cineasti del Presente competition.[3]
It will have its Canadian premiere in the Centrepiece program at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.[4]
Reception
In an article praising the film, Leonardo Gol wrote: "For a director whose projects have always tested the medium’s capacity to conjure and make peace with the specters of one’s past, it feels like the kind of moment Romvari’s been working towards from the start. For a brief, miraculous instant, Sasha’s catharsis is ours too."[5]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locarno Film Festival | 16 August 2025 | Golden Leopard – Filmmakers of the Present | Blue Heron | Nominated | [6] |
| Swatch First Feature Award | Won | [7] |
References
- ^ a b c d Anna Fekete, "PRODUCTION: Canadian/Hungarian Blue Heron Starts Filming". Film New Europe, July 31, 2024.
- ^ Taimur Sikander Mirza, "Telefilm selects 18 projects for 2023-24 Talent to Watch". Playback, September 29, 2023.
- ^ Szalai, Georg (July 8, 2025). "'Dracula' by Radu Jude, David Lynch-Exec Produced 'Happy Worker' Set for Locarno Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
- ^ Anthony D'Alessandro, "TIFF Centrepiece Section Counts 55 Titles Including Pics Starring Shailene Woodley, Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Samara Weaving, Stephen Graham & More". Deadline Hollywood, August 5, 2025.
- ^ Gol, Leonardo (August 8, 2025). "Locarno Review: A Seance of Self and Film, Blue Heron is an Astonishing Debut". thefilmstage.com. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ Marta Balaga (July 8, 2025). "Radu Jude, Abdellatif Kechiche Head to Locarno as Swiss Fest Announces Lineup, An 'Ambitious and Exciting Edition'". Variety. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
- ^ Mona Tabbara, "Sho Miyake’s ‘Two Seasons, Two Strangers’ wins Golden Leopard at Locarno 2025". Screen Daily, August 16, 2025.
External links