H Is for Hawk

2025 2h 0m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

★7.1TMDB · 34

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After losing her beloved father, Helen finds herself saved by an unlikely friendship with a stubborn hawk named Mabel. Through the bond, Helen rediscovers the beauty of being alive.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Claire Foy
Helen
Brendan Gleeson
Dad
Lindsay Duncan
Mum
Denise Gough
Christina
Sam Spruell
Stuart
Emma Cunniffe
Mandy
Josh Dylan
James
Arty Froushan
Amar

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Philippa Lowthorpe
Writers: Emma Donoghue, Helen Macdonald
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapore

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 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapore.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, shot by Charlotte Bruus Christensen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson and Lindsay Duncan carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt10329560 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 34 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Philippa Lowthorpe directs. Charlotte Bruus Christensen behind the camera. Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch scores. Nico Leunen cuts. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapore. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released last year.
2International production across 3 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America, Singapore.
3Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, shot by Charlotte Bruus Christensen. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Nico Leunen shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson and Lindsay Duncan carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt10329560 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 34 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
9Classified under 10 themes, including "loss of loved one", "human animal relationship", "cambridge", "grief".

The technical file

Cinematography: Charlotte Bruus Christensen
Original score: Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch
Editing: Nico Leunen
Production design: Sarah Finlay
Costume design: Amy Roberts
Makeup / hair: Laura Bartlett
Runtime: 120 min · 2h 0m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: H Is for Hawk (2025)

Also by

Philippa Lowthorpe

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-01-30
★ 7/10
Academic “Helen” (Claire Foy) is close to her photo journalist dad (Brendan Gleeson) and so is deeply affected when he quite suddenly dies. She tries to be around for her mum (Lindsay Duncan) and brother “James” (Josh Dylan) but with her tenure at her university (and therefore the lease on her home) coming to an end she seems devoid of much purpose. One thing she had shared with her father shortly before he died was watching some hawks darting about in the sky, and this inspires her to try her hand at falconry. After chatting with her experienced friend “Stuart” (Sam Spruell) she alights on a goshawk - the most aggressive of all. Despite the reservations of her best pal “Christina” (Denise Gough) they drive to Stranraer to pick up a fully licensed young bird. It’s a lively animal whom she names “Mabel” and what now ensues sees he become more and more attached to a bird that gradually starts to reciprocate - well, within reason. “Helen” becomes obsessed with her bird, and though she pays lip service to her work she really only cares about “Mabel” as she learns to feed and then to hunt. Grief is a topic that plenty of films have had a go at exposing over the years, but rarely in quite such an effective fashion. The fact that “Helen” is so closely identifying with her bird, at the expense of just about everything else including her job, her family, friendships and even her hygiene is delicately played out here. There is a clear dependency developing here that slowly, but surely, shifts in emphasis. As “Mabel” grows in confidence, it also gives the cinematographer an opportunity to present us with some beautifully photographed action as this nimble and lithe creature chases it’s prey through trees, tall grass and hedgerows without ever losing sight of lunch. There’s not a great deal of dialogue to concern us which allows us to focus more on Foy’s personable performance crafting a character that has no idea how to grieve. The goshawk is the star though, no doubt about it.

Production companies