The birdbrained heroine in Hungarian director György Pálfi’s gripping escape movie is not very large, but she has plenty of pluck. Hatched on a battery farm in Greece, she fortuitously flees the coop while en route to a grisly fate, only to run straight into a hungry fox. Life is one scrape after another, but our fair fowl never gives up on the dream of freedom, and the audience will be cheering her every step.
Palfi (Hukkle; Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen) is one of Europe’s most adventurous and eccentric filmmakers, but by imaginatively putting us in the bird’s head, the live action and non anthropomorphic Hen becomes a universal story that everyone can relate to. No CGI was used, but eight chickens shared the lead role. We’re assured that no animals were harmed during the making of the movie (though one wonders if that extends to the on-set catering). It’s one of more memorable movies of the year, for sure.
A wild, surreal, harrowing and funny ride that may even win you over to veganism. Think Chicken Run for intellectuals.
Miriam Balanescu, Empire
The film is an amazing feat of animal training and deft editing, and it’s all so weirdly cheering.
Leslie Felperin, The Guardian
György Pálfi
Ioannis Kokiasmenos, Maria Diakopanagioti, Argyris Pantazaras
Germany/Greece/Hungary
2025
In Greek with English subtitles
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Credits
Producer
Thanassis Karathanos, Martin Hampel, Costas Lambropoulos, Giorgos Kiriakos
Screenwriter
György Pálfi, Zsófia Ruttkay
Cinematography
Giorgos Karvelas
Editor
Lehmhényi Réka
Original Music
Szabolcs Szoke
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