The Thing With Feathers

Source: Sundance Film Festival

‘The Thing With Feathers’

EXCLUSIVE: Vue Lumière has acquired The Thing With Feathers for the UK & Ireland, marking the distributor’s first dramatic feature acquisition since its launch last year.

It plans to release the film in UK-Ireland cinemas later this year, having acquired it from sales agent mk2 Films.

The Thing With Feathers is the fiction feature directorial debut of Dylan Southern, based on Max Porter’s 2015 novells Grief Is The Thing With Feathers. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch as a father of two young boys, grieving after the sudden loss of his wife.

The film debuted at Sundance in January, going on to play as a Special Gala at the Berlinale in February.

It is produced by Adam Ackland and Leah Clarke for SunnyMarch, with Andrea Cornwell’s Lobo Films. It was developed with Film4, which co-financed alongside the BFI and Align, in association with Uncommon Creative Studio, mk2 Films and Rank and File, in co-production with Film i Väst and Filmgate Film.

mk2 has almost sold out on the film, with previous deals including Briarcliff Entertainment for the US.

“We feel that The Thing with Feathers fully embodies what we are doing with Vue Lumière and what we want to say to audiences around cinema, storytelling, performance, creativity and impact,” said Eve Gabereau, director of distribution at Vue Lumière. “Also, we are committed to and energised by working with the filmmaking teams and UK partners Film4 and BFI in a joined-up way for the widest possible release.”

Vue founder and CEO Tim Richards said the film “showcases exceptional talent and also tells a deeply moving story that will resonate with so many people.”

“The Thing With Feathers is a moving and distinctive film that we’re proud to see embraced by such an ambitious new player in the UK market,” said Fionnuala Jamison, mk2 Films managing director.

Vue Lumière launched in November last year, off the back of the cinema chain releasing Italian hit There’s Still Tomorrow in April 2024. The distributor aims to release 10-12 films a year, and acquired the latest Bluey kids animated collection earlier this month.

Southern has previously directed music documentaries including No Distance Left To Run, about Blur; Shut Up And Play The Hits, about LCD Soundsystem; and Meet Me In The Bathroom, about the early 2000s New York scene.

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