Beasts of the Southern Wild
2012 · Movie · PG-13 · 93 min · ★ 6.8 · 87% critics
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
- Critic score
- 87/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.8/10 (1,149 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
as Hushpuppy
Dwight Henry
as Wink
Levy Easterly
as Jean Battiste
- GM
Gina Montana
as Miss Bathsheeba
Lowell Landes
as Walrus
- PH
Pamela Harper
as Little Jo
- AH
Amber Henry
as LZA
Jonshel Alexander
as Joy Strong
- NC
Nicholas Clark
as Boy with Bell
- JB
Joseph Brown
as Winston
Directed by Benh Zeitlin