Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird) Heads to Berlin: A World Premiere Sixteen Years in the Making

I am so thrilled share that Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird) will have its World Premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 20, 2026, as part of the Official Competition.

This project has been a 16-year adventure, made possible by an extraordinary team of creative partners working across cinema, puppetry, animal wrangling, and art-making. 

It’s exciting (and a bit scary) to begin sharing this project with the world. But we can’t imagine a more perfect time or place to do it than The Berlinale.

To everyone we’ve worked with it has been an absolute pleasure making art alongside you. We cannot wait to see what happens next.

With gratitude and anticipation,
Anna 

Art takes time. Love is a rebellious bird.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theyofilm/
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt39382829/
Berlinale Film Festival: https://www.berlinale.de/en/2026/programme/202610484.html 

The Team Behind Yo

Directed by
Anna Fitch & Banker White

Producers
Sara Dosa
Hannah Roodman

Executive Producers
Douglas Choi
Martina Bassenger (Sons of Rigor)
John Boccardo
Derek Esplin
Maida Lynn (Facet)
Jessamine Burgum & Kara Durrett (Pinky Promise Films)
Robina Riccitiello
Sheri Sobrato
Dennis Masel
Gabrielle Nadig (Storm City Films)
Rick Rosenthal
Nancy Stephens (Whitewater Films)
Katy Barksdale (The Rockdale Foundation)

Creative Team
Simon Cheffins
Robin Frohardt
Andy Mitchell
Anne Goursaud
Lloyd Taylor
Elijah Stephens
Tyler Strickland
Jesse Wilson

Chandler Biggs
Danielle Mulcahy
Tim Laursen
Kaila Lee
Sam Clevenger
Pamela Holm
Jimbo Matison
Heidi Fleisher
Firsthand Films
Noise Film & TV
Robert Arnold
Jeff King
Lawrence Everson