Benedict Cumberbatch Explores Grief in 'The Thing With Feathers' at Berlin Film Festival

At the Berlin Film Festival, Benedict Cumberbatch shared insights about his role in 'The Thing With Feathers,' portraying a grieving widower coping with the unexpected death of his wife. He described the emotional impact of a poignant scene where his character packs away his deceased wife's clothes, revealing how it unexpectedly resonated with his personal experiences of grief. The film, adapted from Max Porter’s novella and directed by Dylan Southern, explores themes of vulnerability and the process of letting go in the context of male grief, a subject Cumberbatch feels is important to highlight. Cumberbatch emphasized that while the film naturally reflects contemporary notions of masculinity, it did not specifically set out to do so. He praised the film's structure, which aligns with the chapters of the original book, and expressed his appreciation for the young actors involved. The film marks Southern's debut in fiction filmmaking after his work in documentaries, aiming to authentically capture the grieving process depicted in the source material.