By 
“What do you want me to see, Danny?”
An unnamed man (Ari Millen) grappling with cancer travels to his family’s old cabin to reconnect with the memories of his father and younger brother, who have both passed on. Alone and isolated in the dead of winter, the man starts to hear strange sounds from below the cabin floor and investigates, finding a hidden camcorder and home videos on VHS.
While taping messages for his son, strange occurrences start to happen and a ghostly presence activates a mountain of buried grief and family secrets.
DEATH OF A YELLOW BIRD is a deeply personal project for the filmmakers, tapping into Millen’s health issues and Director Cody Calahan’s own grief. The authenticity is palpable, with Millen pouring his whole heart into the role and Calahan using shadows and light to create an outpouring of emotion.
It’s a meaningful exploration of sorrow and memory told in one location, with mostly just the lead on screen for the full runtime. There is as much is said in the silence as there is within the dialog, and the haunting score paired with a mix of handheld vintage camera and VHS footage provides a deep sense of dread throughout.
A lesson in expertly doing a lot with a little, and an affecting watch about coming to terms with grief in all forms.
DEATH OF A YELLOW BIRD is currently playing at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX.
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