Lena Dunham’s Catherine Called Birdy, an adaptation of the director’s favorite childhood book of the same name about a 13-year-old English girl coming of age in 1290 A.D., is set to have a world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.
Written and directed by the Girls star-creator from Karen Cushman’s historical coming-of-age novel, the film will hit cinemas on Sept. 23, ahead of an Amazon Prime Video debut on Oct. 7.
Catherine Called Birdy is set in the medieval English village of Stonebridge. Lady Catherine, known as Birdy, has as her playground Stonebridge Manor, a house that, like the family, has seen better days.
Her greedy father sees his daughter as his path out of financial ruin by marrying her off to a wealthy man for money and land. But Birdy is spirited, clever and adventurous and ready to put off any suitor that comes in increasingly ingenious ways.
And when the most vile suitor of all arrives, Birdy’s parents are presented with the ultimate test of love for their daughter. Dunham’s last film, Sharp Stick, her first in over a decade, debuted at Sundance.
Catherine Called Birdy stars Bella Ramsey, Lesley Sharp, Sophie Okonedo, Joe Alwyn, Isis Hainsworth, Dean-Charles Chapman, Paul Kaye, Billie Piper and Andrew Scott. The film’s producers are Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan, Dunham and Jo Wallett.
Toronto returns for a 47th edition to run Sept. 8 to 18 that will be in-person, with Hollywood stars on red carpets and in theaters after two years of disruption from the pandemic.
