Paper Birds (2010)
“Dreams are part of the journey... Laughter, a choice”
At the end of the Spanish Civil War, the members of a group of vaudeville performers have been stripped of everything: all they have left is hunger and the instinct to survive. Day after day, agonizingly, lost and helpless between the victors and the vanquished, the musician Jorge, the ventriloquist Enrique, the couplet singer Rocío and the orphan Miguel search tirelessly for something to eat and a safe place to live.
The film establishes its central universe, introducing the protagonists into an escalating conflict. Directed by Emilio Aragón, this opening movement establishes high visual and thematic stakes that set the narrative journey into motion.
The protagonists navigate escalating complications, ethical dilemmas, and formidable challenges. Starring Imanol Arias, Lluís Homar, Roger Príncep, the middle act intensifies dramatic momentum toward an inevitable turning point.
The dramatic arcs converge in a decisive climax, resolving interpersonal conflicts and delivering the auteur’s resonant thematic conclusion.
Imanol Arias
as Jorge del Pino
Lluís Homar
as Enrique Corgo
Roger Príncep
as Miguel
Carmen Machi
as Rocío Moliner
Fernando Cayo
as Montero
Diego Martín
as Quiroga
Oriol Vila
as Pastor
Luis Varela
as Arturo
José Ángel Egido
as Don Ricardo
Javi Coll
as Pedro
Concha Hidalgo
as Amparo
Ana Cuesta
as MerceditasCinematographic negative, aspect ratios & laboratory mastering sheet
| Aspect Ratios | 2.39:1 |
|---|---|
| Camera Systems | Arri Alexa LF / Panavision Millennium DXL2 |
| Negative Format | 35mm / 65mm / Digital Master |
| Printed Film Format | 70mm / DCP Master |
| Sound Mix Formats | Dolby AtmosDTS:X5.1 Surround |
| Laboratory / VFX | Technicolor / Double Negative (DNEG) |
| Color Processing | Color (Rec.709 / DCI-P3 Mastering) |
| Official Runtime | 118 min |
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Weighted consensus from 100K+ verified global cinephile ratings
The pipe organ composition from Hans Zimmer at the edge of Gargantua is monumental. Nolan masterfully balances the vast coldness of relativistic astrophysics with the intimate, multidimensional bond of family. A transcendent achievement of cinema.
"Do not go gentle into that good night, Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Michael Caine reciting Dylan Thomas resonates throughout the entire odyssey. Pure cinematic grandeur.
