Birdman (film)

Birdman
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlejandro G. Iñárritu
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyEmmanuel Lubezki
Edited by
Music byAntonio Sánchez
Production
companies
Distributed byFox Searchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • August 27, 2014 (2014-08-27) (Venice)
  • October 17, 2014 (2014-10-17) (United States)
Running time
119 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16.5–18 million[2][3]
Box office$103.2 million[3]

Birdman, stylized as BİRDMAN or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), is a 2014 American dark comedy-drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The film stars Michael Keaton as a washed-up Hollywood actor, best known for playing a superhero named Birdman, and follows the struggles he faces while trying to make a comeback by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway adaptation of Raymond Carver's short story "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love". The film's supporting cast includes Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone, and Naomi Watts.

With a brief exception, Birdman is presented as though it was filmed in one continuous take, an idea Iñárritu had from the film's conception. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki believed that the recording time necessary for the long take approach could not have been made with older technology. The film was shot in New York City during the spring of 2013 with a budget of $16.5 million, jointly financed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Regency Enterprises, and Worldview Entertainment. It premiered at the 71st Venice International Film Festival in 2014.

Birdman had a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 17, 2014, followed by a wide release on November 14. Grossing more than $103 million worldwide, the film received critical acclaim, with praise for its screenplay, direction, cinematography, and the performances of the cast (particularly Keaton, Norton, and Stone). It won the Academy Award for Best Picture, along with Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography from a total of nine nominations, tying it with The Grand Budapest Hotel for the most nominated and awarded film at the 87th Academy Awards. It also won Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture at the 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for Keaton and Best Screenplay at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards.

  1. ^ "Birdman". British Board of Film Classification. September 11, 2014. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference financiers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Birdman (2014)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.