Blue Heron

In her astonishing and award-winning feature debut, director Sophy Romvari constructs a personal portrait of memory, childhood and family.

See a Q&A screening with director Sophy Romvari on 26 June.

  • Director

    Sophy Romvari

  • With

    Eylul Guven, Iringó Réti, Adam Tompa, Edik Beddoes

  • Canada-Hungary 2025. 90min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    12A

  • With some English subtitles

  • A Conic Films release

Set on Vancouver Island in the late 1990s, Blue Heron follows eight-year-old Sasha as her Hungarian family begins life anew in an unfamiliar home. What first appears to be a hopeful transition unfurls to reveal an older brother with increasingly volatile behaviour, casting tension over daily life. Through Sasha’s quiet observations, unspoken fears and strained relationships come into focus. Elegantly shot and structurally assured, Romvari draws from her own experiences to craft a sensitive and atmospheric drama. Through an articulate examination of childhood perception, emotional estrangement and the difficulty of understanding those closest to us, Blue Heron presents a poignant reflection on family bonds and instability, and the fragile nature of memory. The film scooped the Locarno Film Festival 2025 Swatch First Feature Award and the Toronto International Film Festival 2025 Best Canadian Discovery.

Rógan Graham, Film Programmer

See a Seniors’ Matinee screening of Blue Heron.