Introduction

The Painted Bird (Czech: Nabarvené ptáče) is a 2019 internationally co-produced black-and-white war drama film written, directed and produced by Václav Marhoul.

It is an adaptation of Jerzy Kosiński’s novel of the same name.

Outline

The film tells the story of a young Jewish boy.

His parents send him to relatives in Eastern Europe to avoid anti-Semitic persecution.

The boy’s aunt suddenly dies and he has to take care of himself on his own in a dangerous wild world that is hostile to him.

Film Inspiration

The Painted Bird is a 1965 novel by Jerzy Kosiński that describes World War II as seen by a boy, considered a “Gypsy or Jewish stray,” wandering about small villages scattered around an unspecified country in Eastern Europe.

Trivia

• t is the first film to feature the Interslavic language; Marhoul stated that he decided to use Interslavic language so that no Slavic nation would nationally identify with the story.

Production & Filming Details

• Directors: Vaclav Marhoul.
• Producer: Vaclav Marhoul.
• Writer: Vaclac Marhoul (screenplay) and Jerzy Kosinkski (story).
• Cinematography: Vladimir Smutny.
• Editor: Ludek Hudec.
• Production: PubRes Silver Screen.
• Distributor: Bioscop (Czech Republic) and IFC Films (US).
• Release Date: 03 September 2019 (76th Venice International Film Festival), 12 September 2019 (Czech Republic), and April 2020 (US).
• Running Time: 169 minutes.
• Country: Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
• Language: Interslavic.

YouTube Link