The Swan

2023 0h 17m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 591

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Two large, ignorant bullies ruthlessly pursue a small, brilliant boy in this young adult Roald Dahl short story.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

NetflixSubscription

Netflix Standard with AdsSubscription

Cast

Rupert Friend
Narrator / Adult Peter Watson
Ralph Fiennes
Roald Dahl
Asa Jennings
Peter Watson
Eliel Ford
Stagehand
Truman Hanks
Stagehand
Benoît Herlin
Stagehand
Octavio Tapia
Stagehand

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Wes Anderson
Writers: Roald Dahl, Jay Clarke, Wes Anderson
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 6

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 17-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 6

ERA

Did you know

Released 3 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Wes Anderson, shot by Roman Coppola. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 6

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Andrew Weisblum shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 6

CAST

Did you know

Rupert Friend and Ralph Fiennes and Asa Jennings carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 6

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt28912758 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Wes Anderson directs. Roman Coppola behind the camera. Andrew Weisblum cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 17-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 3 years ago.
3Directed by Wes Anderson, shot by Roman Coppola. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Andrew Weisblum shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Rupert Friend and Ralph Fiennes and Asa Jennings carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt28912758 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Roman Coppola
Editing: Andrew Weisblum
Production design: Adam Stockhausen
Costume design: Kasia Walicka Maimone
Makeup / hair: Frances Hannon
VFX supervisor: Dan Schrecker
Sound: Wayne Lemmer
Runtime: 17 min · 0h 17m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: The Swan (2023)

Also by

Wes Anderson

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Community reviews

What people are saying

Alunauwie2025-09-30
★ 9/10
The Swan is a deeply moving short film about a bullied boy named Peter, narrated by his adult self, which adds emotional depth to the story. The film uses implicit visuals to immerse viewers in Peter’s perspective, though this style may not appeal to all. Despite limited settings, creative camera work keeps the narrative engaging. The escalating tension from bullying acts culminates in a powerful, heartbreaking conclusion highlighted by a mother’s emotional plea. This film is ideal for audiences who appreciate artistic storytelling focused on narrative over explicit visuals. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com) and (English version : uwiepuspita.com)
CinemaSerf2026-09-23
★ 7/10
This isn't so much a tale about an elegant bird as a tale about the toxicity of bullying. Narrated by Rupert Friend, (almost unrecognisable from his muscly days in "The Last Legion" from 2007) he regales us with a tale of the unpleasant experiences of the young "Peter" at the hands of two local urchins who make his life a misery. They tie him to the railway tracks, then they force him high up into a tree and then take pots shots at him with their rifle. Why? Well bacuse he's clever, decent and small and they are big, brainless, oafs. Quite poignantly topped and tailed by Ralph Fiennes in his Roald Dahl guise, this is a slickly produced and staged short feature that illustrates the dangers of complicity in the face of intimidation and of the importance of defiance - even if the odds may ever not be in your favour. Friend brings a vocal versatility to his role as he plays the dapper grown-up version of the victim and it's all set against a rustic background that ought to be anything but the nasty environment it proves to be for his younger iteration. It's worth noting, though, that just because he is telling us his story - it doesn't mean he comes out unscathed, nor for that matter, that the swan does either. Though it has a light-hearteness to it, this is really quite a dark story that leaves a bitter taste in your mouth afterwards.