| Giving Birth to a Butterfly | |
| Director: | Theodore Schaefer |
| Starring: | Annie Parisse Gus Birney |
| Runtime: | 77 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Giving Birth to a Butterfly is a 2021 American mystery comedy drama film written by Theodore Schaefer and Patrick Lawler, directed by Schaefer and starring Annie Parisse and Gus Birney. It is Schaefer's feature directorial debut.[1]
After having her identity stolen, a woman, and her son's pregnant girlfriend, bond together on a surreal journey as they attempt to track down the perpetrators.[2]
The film premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival on August 9, 2021.[3] Then it was screened in Los Angeles on May 10, 2023. It was also released on Fandor on May 16, 2023.
The film has a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 22 reviews.[4] Lorry Kikta of Film Threat rated the film an 8 out of 10.[5]
Katie Rife of The A.V. Club gave the film a positive review and wrote, "But flimsy as it is, Giving Birth To A Butterfly shows promise."[6]
Drew Tinnin of Dread Central awarded the film three and a half stars out of five and wrote, "Giving Birth to a Butterfly dovetails between the mundane and the profound, the way poems often do."[7]
Shelagh Rowan-Legg of Screen Anarchy gave the film a positive review and wrote, "While it's missing some connective tissue that would strengthen its American-style magical realism mode, there's a heartache and a hopefulness to it that makes for a compelling journey."[8]
Jon Mendelsohn of Comic Book Resources gave the film a positive review and wrote, "Overall, Giving Birth to a Butterfly is more like a complicated poem than a fully realized film, but it's still original enough to warrant a first-time viewing."[9]
David Lynch of KENS gave the film a positive review and wrote, "If Giving Birth to a Butterfly finds Schaefer in his own storytelling metamorphosis, it’s worth awaiting what he has to offer once fully emerged."[10]