‘Bird in Hand’ Trailer: Wedding on ‘Rebranded’ Plantation (and More)

Melody C. Roscher knows a good story when she sees it — even if it’s her very own life. The producer behind films like “Christine,” “Martha Marcy May Marlene,” “James White,” and “Simon Killer” goes behind the camera for her feature debut, “Bird in Hand,” which pulls from her own life to craft a very funny, very real story of family dysfunction.

The film is inspired by Roscher’s own experience as a biracial person and, per its official synopsis, “follows the newly engaged Bird Rowe (Alisha Wainwright) as she returns to her rural hometown to plan the wedding with her narcissistic hippie mother Carlotta (Christine Lahti). Bird also has a hidden agenda, one that leads her to her mother’s new neighbors, a misguided couple on a mission to ‘rebrand’ a plantation. Truth, lies, and fantasy collide against that backdrop, leading to a surprising climax as tender as it is funny.”

The film also stars James LeGros, Jeffrey Nordling, and Annabelle Dexter-Jones. “Bird in Hand” premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival, and went on to screen at a variety of other fests, including Bentonville, Richmond, and Virginia.

“Bird in Hand” is the latest release from The Future of Film Is Female, which has previously put out some of our favorite films, including Hannah Peterson’s “The Graduates” and Sierra Falconer’s “Sunfish (& Other Stories on Green Lake).”

The film is currently playing at New York City’s Roxy Cinema and the Nitehawk, plus Los Angeles’ Vidiots Microcinema and the American Cinematheque. In the coming weeks, the Future of Film Is Female will release it in Chicago, Philadelphia, Tulsa, and more, with more shows and cities being added (check out locations and tickets here. Persimmon will bring it to VOD at a later date.

Check out the latest trailer for “Bird in Hand,” an IndieWire exclusive, below.