Draft:Bird Boy
| Submission declined on 28 October 2025 by Valorrr (talk). This submission is not adequately supported by reliable sources. Reliable sources are required so that information can be verified. If you need help with referencing, please see Referencing for beginners and Citing sources.
Where to get help
How to improve a draft
You can also browse Wikipedia:Featured articles and Wikipedia:Good articles to find examples of Wikipedia's best writing on topics similar to your proposed article. Improving your odds of a speedy review To improve your odds of a faster review, tag your draft with relevant WikiProject tags using the button below. This will let reviewers know a new draft has been submitted in their area of interest. For instance, if you wrote about a female astronomer, you would want to add the Biography, Astronomy, and Women scientists tags. Editor resources
|  |
| Bird Boy | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joel Soisson |
| Written by | Joel Soisson |
| Starring | Téa Leoni, Tony Kgoroge, Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane, Brandon Auret, Neil Sandilands |
| Cinematography | Marius van Graan |
| Edited by | Tommy Aagaard |
| Music by | Daniel Phillip Eppel |
Production companies | Kalahari Pictures; Watch This Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Angel Studios (U.S. streaming)[1] ; Ster-Kinekor (South Africa theatrical)[2] |
Release dates | 2025 (festival)[3] ; 28 November 2025 (South Africa)[4] |
Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United States / South Africa |
| Language | English |
Bird Boy is a 2025 live-action family film written and directed by Joel Soisson. The film stars Téa Leoni, Tony Kgoroge and Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane. A co-production between Kalahari Pictures and Watch This Entertainment, the film follows August, an orphaned boy who raises an ostrich and later risks everything to rescue his friend when it is removed from him.[1]
Plot
[edit]August, an orphaned young boy, is taken to live with foster parents in the South African countryside. He discovers an abandoned ostrich egg and raises the bird, named Kobus. When Kobus is taken away after defending August from a school bully, August sets out to bring his friend home, learning about family and belonging along the way.[2]
Cast
[edit]- Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane as August.[2]
- Téa Leoni as Emmie Khumalo.[3]
- Tony Kgoroge as Thabo Khumalo.[2]
- Brandon Auret.[3]
- Neil Sandilands.[3]
Production
[edit]Bird Boy was filmed on location in the Western Cape, South Africa. The production used a combination of animatronics, puppetry and visual effects for the ostrich character. Principal credits and production details are listed in the film's production notes and press materials.[1]
Release
[edit]The film premiered on the international festival circuit in 2025. It screened at festivals including SCHLiNGEL International Film Festival (Germany), Matera Art International Film Festival (Italy), and Greece International Film Festival.[4] The Southern California Premiere occurred at the Newport Beach Film Festival in October 2025.[5] The South African theatrical release date is listed as 28 November 2025 by Ster-Kinekor.[6]
Reception
[edit]Youth and family reviewers gave the film positive responses. KIDS FIRST! praised the film's family themes and setting.[2] The film was noted to have won several festival awards, including Best Feature Film at the Greece International Film Festival and acting awards at Festival International Issni N Ourgh du film amazigh, as documented in press materials and festival announcements. Lead actor Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane also won the Best Actor award at the 16th Festival International Issni N’Ourgh du Film Amazigh (FINIFA) in Agadir, Morocco, for his performance as August.[4][7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Bird Boy – Production Notes" (PDF). Kalahari Pictures / Watch This Entertainment. 21 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Bird Boy — KIDS FIRST! review". KIDS FIRST!. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b c "Bird Boy (2025) – IMDb". IMDb. 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ a b "SA Press Release – Bird Boy" (PDF). Watch This Entertainment / Kalahari Pictures. 21 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ "Bird Boy | Newport Beach Film Festival 2025". Eventive. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ "Bird Boy – Ster-Kinekor". Ster-Kinekor. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
- ^ "Scandal! star Litlhonolofatso Litlhakanyane wins big in Morocco". The Citizen. 23 October 2025. Retrieved 27 October 2025.