‘Ornamental Bird’ - An Evocative Tale of Hidden Depths and Quiet Battles Starring Ana K.Cruz

The film is rich with symbolism, and one of its most interesting elements are two stuffed birds, a crow and a peacock, which are central to the plot. The preserved birds, thus, mirror Eva's own experience of being objectified, of feeling hollow, reduced to their shell and serving the purpose of mere decoration. These birds are a metaphor for the inner and outer life of Eva, who has lived captive to the attitudes and beliefs of those around her, who have failed to see her depth, something she is now silently rebelling against, attempting to take matters into her own hands. 

'Ornamental Bird’ challenges us with a difficult question - what does it do to a person, the feeling of being unseen, to feel worthless and useless, or in Eva’s own words, to feel “dead inside”? It reminds us to look beneath the surface, beyond appearances, as colourful and shiny as they may seem to be, and touches upon our striving for recognition and the need to be seen for who we truly are. 

As Eva struggles with the painful reality of always being looked at but never being seen, this film is not simply the tale of one woman, but a reflection of how society treats people, particularly women, as tokens to be watched rather than people to be fully recognized. The film pushes its audience to reflect on how they see others and how others see them.

The protagonist, Ana K. Cruz, who has co-written and co-produced the film, has given a natural performance which reveals layers of emotional vulnerability and has brought an extraordinary depth to her character, transforming Eva from a passive figure into a profound symbol of internal struggle and depth. 

In essence, 'Ornamental Bird' is a hard-hitting display of the themes of visibility and objectification within human beings, as well as the consequences of our perceptions and treatment of one another. Through its raw representation of life and underlying themes, the film gives a glimpse of how people are sometimes trapped in the living of expectations, imploring us to look below the surface and through the mask, grasping the entirety of what it means to be human.

‘Ornamental Bird’ has been included in the official selection of numerous film festivals, such as the Cannes World Film Festival, the Los Angeles Film Awards, Top Shorts, Paradise Film Festival and Independent Shorts Awards. It has furthermore won several awards, including the Best Actress Award conferred upon Ana K. Cruz for her notable performance as the protagonist of this thrilling and intense story that takes us on a journey through the depths of a seemingly calm and shallow appearance, alluding to the film’s slogan: “Still waters run deep.”.

Follow Ana K. Cruz on Instagram: @ana.k.cruz