Willy works for a Mexican drug cartel and, unwisely, falls in love with Marlena, the boss’s wife. When Marlena disappears, a desperate Willy, still in love, searches for her in vain for four years, then follows a rumor of her living in Montreal in the hopes of reconnecting. Ivan Grbovic’s stunning feature was Canada’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards.
Narrowly escaping a death sentence for his transgressions, Willy’s flight from Mexico to the North brings opportunity and renewed hope. While working as a migrant field hand, Willy becomes inextricably caught up in his host family’s turmoil and secrets, that begin to entangle with his own. A collaboration with the production teams behind the acclaimed Roma and Incendies, Drunken Birds explores how destinies intersect and tensions swell amongst those dreaming for a better future.
Director Biography
Born in 1979 in Montreal, Ivan Grbovic has a master’s degree in cinematography from the AFI Conservatory. He is the director of the short films “La tête haute” (2006), “La chute” (2009), and “Les mots” (2009) and the feature Romeo Eleven (Roméo Onze) (2011). Drunken Birds (2021) is his latest film.
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