Kate Winslet's directorial debut, Goodbye June, is gearing up for its Netflix premiere following a limited theatrical run. Written by Joe Anders, the son of Winslet and ex-husband Sam Mendes, the film will hit select US and UK screens on Dec. 12 before making its way to Netflix on Dec. 24, as a Christmas release since the events of the film revolve around the festive season.
Winslet has assembled a team of exceptional performers playing siblings — Toni Collette (Midsommer), Andrea Riseborough (Oblivion), and Johnny Flynn (Ripley) — who have to come together when it's revealed that their mother, June (Helen Mirren), is approaching her final moments.
As per the official logline, “the siblings must confront complicated family dynamics and the impending reality of loss, while supporting their beleaguered patriarch Bernie (Timothy Spall). Throughout her final moments, June remains the vibrant woman she is, embracing her family and her condition with biting humor, blunt honesty, and immense love and affection."
For Winslet, Goodbye June is also a reunion with actors with whom she has previously worked, except for Collette.
On electing to direct the film, Winslet, who is also a co-producer with Kate Solomon, told Netflix that she was drawn to the "human condition" element of it and hopes people will "recognize themselves in the characters. It’s a film about family. Some of our most complicated relationships in life are with the people we love the most in the world, the people we are closest to, the people we need the most for support and care. In the UK, we struggle when talking about death. The power of a good goodbye is to remember to love each other in the present.”
