The film avoids a traditional documentary style, instead using striking, tableau-like imagery that resembles paintings in a gallery. It relies heavily on epistolary narration , featuring letters—some real, some imagined—shared between the family members. Production and Recognition
(The Metamorphosis of Birds) is a 2020 Portuguese experimental docudrama directed by Catarina Vasconcelos . The film is a poetic, deeply personal exploration of family history, grief, and the "saudade" (longing) that follows the loss of a matriarch. Plot and Themes A Metamorfose dos PГЎssaros
This debut feature comes from Catarina Vasconcelos, who has a background in fine arts. The Metamorphosis of Birds Q&A with Catarina Vasconcelos The film avoids a traditional documentary style, instead
The narrative centers on two women: , the director's grandmother, and Catarina's own mother , both of whom died leaving a void in their families. The film is a poetic, deeply personal exploration
Beatriz married Henrique, a naval officer who spent long periods at sea, leaving her to raise six children alone.
Following its premiere at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival, the film won the FIPRESCI Award and was Portugal's entry for the 94th Academy Awards.
The title refers to a metaphor for death and renewal; Catarina’s father, Jacinto, dreamed of becoming a bird from a young age.