Cinequest Film Festival 2025 – Writer/director Renso Amariz‘s Birdsong is an intriguing and endearing mash-up of genres, from drama, to horror, to queer romance. It follows a woman named Bird (Chloë Levine) who can’t leave her apartment. Oh, and the apartment has all kinds of tricks to ensure Bird doesn’t escape captivity. Bird’s life is tightly controlled, and though she doesn’t leave her apartment, she makes for a fascinating protagonist regardless.

Somehow, the apartment performs all sorts of acts to keep Bird trapped. Each day, the closet door opens, presenting a different outfit, often vintage, for Bird to wear. Every morning, the apartment has just enough breakfast food to feed its occupant and just the right amount of utensils. Sometimes, Bird states what she desires, and the apartment will offer it to her as a means to trap her. It would seem pretty cool to have an apartment that continually provides everything you can possibly want, no more, no less. That said, it’s clear Bird is lonely. So many shots focus on her slumped against a wall, or sitting on the floor, pining for company. Her loneliness becomes another trap, creating an intense desire for human connection. This eventually comes in the form of an older neighbor, Silesia (Rebecca Knox).

Silesia is everything that Bird is not. She’s well-traveled, outgoing, and unafraid to dress up. The bond between the two grows, blossoming into a romance that Bird so desperately craves. The on-screen chemistry between Knox and Levine can’t be understated. Their scenes together are mesmerizing, whether they’re dancing or simply drinking wine. Their connection really drives this film.

Yet, there’s a danger to Bird’s newfound romance. Again, she can’t leave the apartment, so it makes it difficult to do much of anything with Silesia. When Bird attempts to fight back against the apartment, it rescinds everything that she enjoyed. This even includes food and running water, let alone the cool vintage outfits. Bird’s story comes into clearer focus through black and white flashbacks, though Amariz keeps a lot of secrets a little too close to the chest. The apartment’s uncanny power is never really fully explained. Yet, that’s a minor gripe. The concept still somehow works with little to no explanation.

The film eventually arrives at a place where Bird has to make a decision. She can’t leave. Because she can’t exit through the apartment’s front door, she has to decide if she wants to trap Silesia there, too. The apartment certainly makes it appealing. At one point, Silesia says that she wants pancakes. A few minutes later, there’s a stack of pancakes waiting. Yet, this causes a crisis for Bird. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that Bird does indeed eventually make a decision.

Birdsong is a poetic indie film with a captivating relationship and interesting concept at its core. Levine and Knox give heartfelt performances, and the movie really sings when they’re on screen together.