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Urchin, the directorial debut of actor Harris Dickinson, has opened in UK and Irish cinemas. The film stars Frank Dillane as Mike, a rough sleeper in London who is trying to turn his life around after years of living on the streets, and it follows his uneven road towards a steadier life.
The film was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival, where it played in the Un Certain Regard section and won the best actor award for Dillane along with the Fipresci prize for Dickinson's direction. Picturehouse Entertainment picked up the film for the UK and Ireland and has given it a release in cinemas across the country.
Dickinson, best known as an actor in films such as Triangle of Sadness, Scrapper and Babygirl, wrote and directed the film himself. It is a story told close to the ground, set in hostels, day centres and the streets of London, and it keeps its focus on Mike and the small steps he takes as he tries to rebuild.
Dillane's performance has drawn strong praise from critics, who have singled out the way he plays Mike's humour and warmth alongside his troubles. The film does not look away from the hard parts of his life, but it also gives him dignity and room to be funny, stubborn and hopeful in turn.
Urchin opened with 69,279 pounds from 68 sites on its first weekend, rising to 131,116 pounds once previews are counted. For a small British independent film, that is a solid start, and it gives the film a base to build on as word of mouth spreads. The film's producers include Archie Pearch at Devisio Pictures and Scott O'Donnell of Somesuch, with backing from BBC Film and the BFI, a line-up that shows the faith the British film world has in Dickinson's move behind the camera. Picturehouse, which released the film, has a strong record with independent British titles, and its support gave Urchin a proper platform. For Dickinson, the film is the start of a second career, and its warm reception at Cannes and in the UK suggests there will be more to come from him as a director.
Source: Screen Daily
