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Beasts of the Southern Wild

2012 · Movie · PG-13 · 93 min

★ 6.8(1,188)unSUB Rating

DramaFantasy

A six-year-old girl grows up in a small, remote community with her tough father as their world starts to unravel. When a mysterious illness and rising waters disrupt everything, she sets off on a searching journey that blends struggle, wonder, and a fight to protect what she loves.

Where to watch

Streaming on HBO Max and Cinemax.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Years
2012
Release date
2012-06-29
Language
English
Rated
PG-13
Runtime
93 min
TMDB rating (input)
6.8/10 (1,188 votes)
About

You’ll likely enjoy this if you like a magical, unsettling coming-of-age journey set in a flood-torn bayou world; Not for you if you need a straightforward, fully understandable plot, as some viewers find it confusing and hard to follow like After Life or Paterson.

Pros: poetic child perspective; imaginative fantasy elements; standout young lead | Cons: confusing structure; blend of reality/fantasy; polarizing for some viewers

Themes

  • explosive
  • refugee camp
  • hurricane
  • flooding
  • global warming
  • based on play or musical
  • bayou
  • crab
  • prehistoric creature
  • storm
  • celebration
  • magic realism
  • +23 more

Awards & recognition

  • Independent Spirit Award — Best Cinematography · 2013
  • NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Independent Motion Picture · 2013
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Young Performer · 2012
  • Caméra d'Or · 2012
  • Grand prix du Festival de Deauville · 2012
Show all 29 awards →
  • Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award · 2012
  • National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
  • Academy Award — Best Director · 2013 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 2013 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Picture · 2013 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Actress · 2013 · nominated
  • BAFTA Award — Best Adapted Screenplay · 2013 · nominated
  • BET Award — Best Movie · 2013 · nominated
  • Independent Spirit Award — Best Film · 2013 · nominated
  • Independent Spirit Award — Best Cinematography · 2013 · nominated
  • Independent Spirit Award — Best Director · 2013 · nominated
  • Independent Spirit Award — Best Female Lead · 2013 · nominated
  • MTV Movie Award — Best Breakthrough Performance · 2013 · nominated
  • NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture · 2013 · nominated
  • NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Independent Motion Picture · 2013 · nominated
  • NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture · 2013 · nominated
  • NAACP Image Award — Outstanding Motion Picture · 2013 · nominated
  • Producers Guild of America Award — Best Theatrical Motion Picture · 2013 · nominated
  • BIFA — Best Foreign Independent Film · 2012 · nominated
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Film · 2012 · nominated
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Actress · 2012 · nominated
  • Broadcast Film Critics Association Award — Best Young Performer · 2012 · nominated
  • Satellite Award — Best Original Score · 2012 · nominated
  • Satellite Award — Best Cinematography · 2012 · nominated

Cast & crew

  • Quvenzhané Wallis

    Quvenzhané Wallis

    as Hushpuppy

  • Dwight Henry

    Dwight Henry

    as Wink

  • Levy Easterly

    Levy Easterly

    as Jean Battiste

  • GM

    Gina Montana

    as Miss Bathsheeba

  • Lowell Landes

    Lowell Landes

    as Walrus

  • PH

    Pamela Harper

    as Little Jo

  • AH

    Amber Henry

    as LZA

  • Jonshel Alexander

    Jonshel Alexander

    as Joy Strong

  • NC

    Nicholas Clark

    as Boy with Bell

  • JB

    Joseph Brown

    as Winston

Directed by Benh Zeitlin