UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / August 14, 2026 / What if the person you lost came back as a pigeon?

That is the question at the heart of The Pigeon, a new British short film written by filmmakers Charlotte Beaumont and Chloe Culpin after both experienced devastating bereavements within days of each other. Following it’’s UK premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival on Monday 17th August, The Pigeon will screen for free at Everyman cinemas in Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Bristol in partnership with grief charity Let’s Talk About Loss.

The 12-minute film follows Frances, who begins to believe that a pigeon who appears at her flat may actually be her dead sister, Billy, reincarnated. What starts as an absurd encounter becomes a tender and darkly funny exploration of grief, memory and the strange ways people try to stay connected to those they have lost.

The film was inspired by Chloe’s own experience after losing her best friend Phoebe to brain cancer. Shortly afterwards, a chestnut-brown pigeon appeared on Chloe’s terrace and stayed there for a week. It was the same colour as Phoebe’s hair. When the pigeon later turned up again in the crisp aisle of Chloe’s local off-licence, she thought that it must be Phoebe - “Phoebe loved crisps.”

“I knew rationally it was just a pigeon,” says Chloe. “But after losing Phoebe, the idea that it might somehow be her was strangely comforting. It was also ridiculous – and that combination felt very true to grief.”

Charlotte and Chloe drew on their own experiences of sudden loss. Charlotte’s Dad, Ricky, died following a short battle with lung cancer just 11 days after her brother, Bobby, died from a heart attack. Both women’s experiences left them questioning the conventional ways grief is discussed.

“Someone sent me an article about positive thinking,” says Charlotte. “It obviously didn’t help. Grief wasn’t something I could think my way out of. It affected my body, my energy, my anxiety and my ability to cope with everyday life. We wanted to make something that acknowledged all of that – including the funny, strange and completely unexpected parts.”

Produced by Katie Sinclair, The Pigeon was made in partnership with grief charity Let’s Talk About Loss, which supports young bereaved people.

The filmmakers are now taking the film beyond the festival circuit and directly to the people they made it for.

The Pigeon will screen for free at Everyman cinemas in Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Bristol. Each screening will be followed by a conversation with the filmmakers, giving audiences the opportunity to talk about grief, remember the people they have lost and share their own experiences of the unusual ways loved ones can continue to feel present.

“We didn’t want the film to only exist in the festival world,” says Charlotte. “We made it for people who are grieving. We wanted to create a space where people could watch something that understands how messy, painful and often funny grief can be – and then talk about it together.”

Since its world premiere at Les Arcs in December 2025, The Pigeon is enjoying a successful festival run, including having its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on Monday 17th August. It will also be screening at Bolton Film Festival and Aesthetica, making the film BIFA and BAFTA qualified.

The filmmakers have been struck by how many bereaved people have their own “pigeon stories” – from loved ones returning as birds and butterflies, to unexpected encounters with insects and animals that feel like messages from someone who has died.

“We’ve realised that so many people have their own version of this,” says Chloe. “A robin, a magpie, a butterfly, a bumblebee. We don’t need to decide whether these things are really our loved ones coming back. Sometimes it’s enough that the experience gives us a moment of comfort, wonder or connection to the people we’ve loved and lost.”

Link to a review from The Contending.

SCREENING DATES

Everyman Edinburgh – 17 August, 6pm

Everyman London King’s Cross – 1 September, 6pm

Everyman Manchester – 8 September, 6pm

Everyman Bristol – 15 September, 6pm

All screenings are free to attend. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.

Follow on social: @messy_films, @chloeculpin, @charbeaumont