A brand-new trailer has been unveiled for ‘Onwards and Sideways,’ the emotional and unexpectedly funny new feature film starring BAFTA Award winner Rhys Ifans and three-time Oscar nominee, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Laura Linney.
The film will receive its World Premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, before arriving in UK cinemas from 6 November 2026, followed by its television premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.
Written by Paul Mayhew-Archer, best known for ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ and ‘Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot,’ ‘Onwards and Sideways’ follows two strangers whose lives are unexpectedly brought together by a shared diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.
Tony, played by Ifans, is the deputy headteacher of a primary school, while Emma, played by Linney, is a musician and composer raising two daughters as a single mother. They have never met, but on the same morning, both receive the life-changing diagnosis.
A startling encounter subsequently changes the course of their lives, leading to an unexpected friendship built around humour, courage, music, movement and a shared determination to find joy in difficult circumstances.
The film explores the transformative power of human connection while challenging assumptions about what life can look like following a Parkinson’s diagnosis. At its heart, ‘Onwards and Sideways’ is a story about finding freedom, hope and laughter in places where they might least be expected.
Rounding out the impressive supporting cast are Monica Dolan (Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Sherwood) and Rory Kinnear (The Diplomat, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power).
The film comes from John Gore Studios and Hilltop Screen, with Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Madden directing. Madden, whose credits include ‘Shakespeare in Love,’ ‘Operation Mincemeat’ and ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’ also continues his long-running creative collaboration with multiple Oscar-winning composer Thomas Newman.
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