H Is for Hawk is a 2025 biographical drama film directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, who co-wrote the screenplay with Emma Donoghue, based on the 2014 memoir by naturalist Helen MacDonald. It stars Claire Foy, Brendan Gleeson, Denise Gough, Sam Spruell, and Lindsay Duncan. The film tells the true story of Helen McDonald who tends to a goshawk after the death of their father Alisdair. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.
H Is for Hawk chronicles Helen MacdonaldâÂÂs experience of grief following the sudden death of their father and their decision to train a goshawk as a means of coping with that loss. The narrative interweaves two strands: MacdonaldâÂÂs personal bereavement and the practical and psychological challenges of falconry.
After their fatherâÂÂs death, Macdonald retreats from their previous academic and social life and immerses themself in the demanding discipline of hawk training. They acquire a female goshawk, named Mabel, and devotes themself to the meticulous routines required to tame and hunt with the bird. The process is portrayed as both physically exhausting and emotionally consuming, drawing Macdonald into an intense, solitary relationship with the hawk and the wild instincts it embodies.
As Macdonald becomes increasingly absorbed in falconry, they describe a gradual withdrawal from ordinary human concerns, seeking refuge in the clarity and harshness of the natural world. This immersion brings moments of exhilaration and communion with nature, but also exposes the limits and dangers of attempting to escape grief by erasing oneâÂÂs humanity.
The movie concludes with MacdonaldâÂÂs slow re-engagement with the human world. While their bond with Mabel remains significant, Helen comes to recognise that grief cannot be fully mastered or outrun. Instead, it must be integrated into a renewed, if altered, sense of self, allowing space for both loss and connection.
The film was announced in February 2024, directed by Philippa Lowthorpe and written by Emma Donoghue. Based on H is for Hawk, the 2014 memoir by Helen MacDonald, it stars Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson and has been developed with Film4, who executive produced and co-financed. The film was also produced by Plan B Entertainment, which had been attached to an adaptation of the book with Lena Headey in 2017. In November 2024, Lionsgate acquired UK and Irish distribution rights to the film from Protagonist Pictures.
Filming began in Cambridge in November 2024. Filming also took place in Wales and London.
In October 2025, Roadside Attractions acquired the North American distribution rights.
The film had its premiere at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival. The film also screened at the London Film Festival.
The film was released in the United States by Roadside Attractions in December 2025 for a one-week "awards-qualifying run", which was followed by a wide release on 23 January 2026. Lionsgate also released the film in the United Kingdom on 23 January.