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Kristin to reign supreme over Dinard

Franco-British star delivers family saga directorial debut

by Richard Mowe

From left: Emily Beecham, Sienna Miller, Kristin Scott Thomas and Scarlett Johansson in My Mother's Wedding. Photo: Courtesy of Dinard Festival of British and Irish Film

One of the hottest tickets of this year’s selection for the Dinard Festival of British and Irish Film, taking place from October 1 to 5 in the Breton coastal town much favoured in the past by the colonial English, will be Kristin Scott Thomas’ directorial debut My Mother's Wedding.

The film, which features Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller and Emily Beecham, will open the festival in the presence of Scott Thomas and a jury headed by actor Rupert Everett and whose ranks include Jennifer Saunders, Ruby Wax, documentary filmmaker Jenny Dineen with a French contingent of Claire Chazal, Rachida Brakni and Reda Kateb.

Dinard Festival director Dominique Green: 'Unique event' Photo: Richard Mowe

Announcing the line-up in Paris today at the British Council premises overlooking Les Invalides with views to the Eiffel Tower, the event’s artistic director Dominique Green extolled the virtues of a unique event. “Whether telling the story of a small village or vast continents; characters and plots, passions and emotions, laughter and tears all launch British & Irish films beyond their home borders onto an international stage and it is this which we celebrate every year in Dinard.”

Scott Thomas’s semi-autobiographical film promises a heartfelt story of three sisters returning to their childhood home for the third wedding of their twice-widowed mother, unleashing ghosts from the past. After more than 40 years in the business, Scott Thomas had said she “felt that it was time to reclaim” her story.

Among the five films in the Competition are Akinola Davies’ debut feature My Father’s Shadow set in Lagos during the Nigerian election crisis in 1993; Dylan Southern’s The Thing With Feathers, an adaptation of Max Porter's book starring Benedict Cumberbatch; and Marc Evans’ biographical drama Mr Burton about the life of Richard Burton, with Toby Jones, Lesley Manville and Harry Lawtey, who plays the man himself.

The Competition line-up is completed with Icelandic director Thordor Palsson gothic tale The Damned and Paul Andrew Williams’s much admired Dragonfly with Brenda Blethyn and Andrea Riseborough as a distinctly odd couple finding common ground.

Mr Burton Photo: Courtesy of Dinard Festival of British and Irish Film

Green has helpfully broken up the rest of the programme into convenient strands such as Stand By Me representing solidarity; Under pressure; Frissons for excitement and thrillers; Stormy Weather for topics subject to turbulence and Creative Forces.

The closing film will be Peter (The Full Monty) Cattaneo’s The Penguin Lessons, a comedy drama with Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce which was “Inspired by a true story about a teacher and his students who are enlightened by an unusual guest.” The film takes place in 1976 Argentina, on the eve of a political revolution.

Female directors are to the fore in the Talents of Tomorrow section with Nadia Fall’s Brides and Daisy-May Hudson’s Lollipop sharing the limelight with Brian Durnin’s Spilt Milk and Brendan Canty’s Christy.

The Baby Girl actor Harris Dickinson’s directorial debut Urchin which releases in the UK and Ireland on October 3, will be given a gala screening in his presence. The film which deals with life sleeping rough on the streets of London, premiered earlier in the year at the Cannes Film Festival.

Other titles for Dinard audiences to note are James McAvoy’s California Schemin’ and Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s Dreamers to cite just two from a bumper programme that also embraces an industry section and a separate selection for schools.

Dinard Festival of British and Irish Cinema 2025 Selections:

Competition