'Urchin' Trailer Unveiled — A Cannes Gem Missing from Neon and A24’s Roster
Festival darling finds a home outside the usual indie giants.
Drawn to stories of striking directorial debuts, I couldn’t resist the news that the first trailer for Harris Dickinson’s Urchin has finally surfaced.
Premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard sidebar this May, the film won both the FIPRESCI Prize and Best Performance for Frank Dillane. With 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics have been raving — and yet it isn’t Neon, A24 or MUBI bringing it to audiences. Instead, the U.S. rights went to 1-2 Special. Surprising, isn’t it?
Grit and Poetry on London’s Streets
Urchin is a raw, unflinching look at homelessness and mental illness in London. Dickinson skips tidy storytelling, using a rough, documentary-like style that puts us inside Dillane’s troubled head. With minimal dialogue and sharp images, his performance keeps the film grounded and real — an impressive debut worth noting.
Beyond the Usual Path
Despite the praise, big indie names like Neon and A24 didn’t pick it up. Maybe the film’s rough style made it a tougher sell, or maybe it just shows not every Cannes hit follows the usual path. Urchin opens in theatres on 3 October — curious to see how audiences take it.
