Onwards and Sideways
British comedy drama film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Onwards and Sideways is an upcoming British film written by Paul Mayhew-Archer and directed by John Madden. It stars Laura Linney and Rhys Ifans with Monica Dolan and Rory Kinnear.
| Onwards and Sideways | |
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| Directed by | John Madden |
| Screenplay by | Paul Mayhew-Archer |
| Produced by | |
| Starring | |
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Release date |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
It will have a world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in a TIFF Gala Presentation.
Premise
A school teacher and a composer meet after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease on the same morning.[1]
Cast
- Laura Linney as Emma Dretzin
- Rhys Ifans as Tony Evans
- Monica Dolan as Liz Evans
- Rory Kinnear as Professor Ridge
Production
The feature-length drama was announced in October 2025.[2] It is produced for BBC iPlayer and BBC One by John Gore Studios and Hilltop Screen. It is written by Paul Mayhew-Archer and directed by John Madden. It is produced by Hilary Bevan Jones and John Gore. The executive producers are Hilary Strong, Francis Hopkinson, Ellie Wood, Helen Flint, Rhys Ifans, Madden, Mayhew-Archer and Lucy Richer.[3] Mayhew-Archer was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2011, and is also co-host of the podcast Movers and Shakers about experiences with the disease and created the documentary Parkinson's: The Funny Side in 2016. The drama was initially written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic but had delayed production.[4][5]
The cast is led by Ifans alongside Laura Linney, Rory Kinnear and Monica Dolan.[6] The drama is set and filmed in North Norfolk, with filming locations including Fakenham in November 2025. First-look images from filming released to the media in May 2026. It had the original title But When We Dance.[7][8]
Release
It will have a world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in a TIFF Gala Presentation.[9]