Put down the garden shears – and if there are any botanophiles here, just know this isn't a film about pruning a rosebush, despite its name. Rosebush Pruning is an uncomfortable dark comedy about the upper class, not dissimilar to Saltburn, and it's certainly caught our attention.

Having premiered earlier this year in February at the Berlin International Film Festival, the movie has since been described by critics as "bonkers" and a "wild ride." And hey, judging by the trailer, it's a ride we want to jump on and see where it leads us...

Below, find everything there is to know about Rosebush Pruning and where you can catch it in cinemas.

First official trailer

It's not exactly about pruning a rosebush

Rosebush Pruning is a dark, satirical film – a story centred on ideas about family and social values that follows a young man plotting the murders of his dysfunctional family. It is a loose adaptation of Fists in the Pocket, a 1965 Italian satirical drama written and directed by Marco Bellocchio. Set in Spain, the plot centres on the children of a wealthy woman who gather after she is allegedly savaged by wolves to uncover what really happened to her – only for generations of lies to unravel in the process.

"I’m excited to be collaborating with Efthimis Filippou to revisit this iconic work to create a contemporary parable about the death of the traditional patriarchal family — which I hope will be touching and provocative in equal measure," said director Aïnouz.

Who is a part of the film?

Josh O'Connor and Kristen Stewart were originally set to star, but due to scheduling conflicts, they were replaced by Callum Turner and Riley Keough. Rounding out this mega cast, we have Riley Keogh, Jamie Bell, and Lukas Gage who, along with Turner and Keough, play American siblings wallowing in wealth after their mother's death.

Tracy Letts plays their blind father, and Elle Fanning plays the girlfriend of Bells' character. Pamela Anderson plays the matriarch of the family.

We also know that the adaptation was directed by Karim Aïnouz (who was behind the Alicia Vikander-starring Firebrand and who is also in competition at Cannes Film Festival 2024 with Motel Destino), from a script written by Efthimis Filippou a long-time collaborator of Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth).

When will it be released?

Rosebush Pruning will premiere exclusively on Mubi from 21 August, however if you are in Melbourne, you can catch a theatrical screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival on either the 12 or 22 August.