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Sony Pictures Classics Acquires ‘Mothering Sunday’ Starring Colin Firth, Olivia Colman & More

Anthony D'Alessandro
·2 min read

Sony Pictures Classics has picked up North America and key foreign rights to Eva Husson’s Mothering Sunday based on the bestselling novel by Graham Swift.

SPC will handle North America, Latin America, India, Pan Asia (excluding Japan), the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Turkey, and airlines and ships for the movie which stars Odessa Young (Assassination Nation), Josh O’Connor (The Crown), Colin Firth, Olivia Colman and Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù. Feature production began in the UK this week. Lionsgate UK has acquired the UK distribution rights and is planning a theatrical release in 2021.

Mothering Sunday centers on March 30, 1924 in Beechwood, England. Jane Fairchild (Young), a maid in the Niven household, has the day off to celebrate Mothering Sunday while Mr. and Mrs. Niven (Firth and Colman) attend a lunch to celebrate the engagement of their neighbor’s only remaining son, Paul (O’Connor). Although Jane rejoices at her freedom on an unseasonably hot, beautiful spring day, she has no mother to go to—and for almost seven years she has, joyfully and without shame, been Paul’s lover. Like the Nivens, Paul belongs to England’s old money aristocracy, whereas Jane was orphaned at birth. With the house conveniently empty, they can finally meet in Paul’s bedroom for the first time. Today will be their last as lovers. It is also the day that will mark the beginning of Jane’s transformation.

Alice Birch adapted and Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley of Number 9 Films produced.

Mothering Sunday was developed with support from Film4 and the BFI awarding National Lottery funding, with financing from Film4, BFI and Lipsync.

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