Preview by Jon Donnis
A new trailer and poster have arrived for Onwards and Sideways, an emotional new feature film that brings Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney together for a story about friendship, humour and finding hope in unexpected circumstances.
The film follows Tony, played by BAFTA winner Rhys Ifans, and Emma, portrayed by three-time Oscar nominee Laura Linney. Tony is a deputy headteacher at a primary school, while Emma is a musician and composer raising two daughters as a single mother. Although the pair have never met, their lives are suddenly connected when they are both confronted with the same unexpected diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease.
From that striking starting point, Onwards and Sideways explores the friendship that develops between them. Their circumstances might be difficult, but the film is not presented as an entirely sombre story. Instead, humour, music, adventure and human connection are central to Tony and Emma’s journey as they find ways to navigate a dramatically altered future.
The premise gives the film an opportunity to look beyond the diagnosis itself and towards the relationships and experiences that can continue to shape a person's life. Tony and Emma's friendship becomes an unexpected source of courage and companionship, while their shared experiences challenge assumptions about what life can look like after a life-changing diagnosis.
Alongside Ifans and Linney, the supporting cast features Monica Dolan and Rory Kinnear, adding further established talent to the film's ensemble.
Behind the camera, Onwards and Sideways brings together writer Paul Mayhew-Archer, whose credits include The Vicar of Dibley and Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot, and director John Madden, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind Shakespeare in Love, Operation Mincemeat and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
The film also continues Madden's long-running collaboration with multiple Oscar-nominated composer Thomas Newman, with music set to play an important role in a story where creativity and movement are closely intertwined.
Onwards and Sideways will have its World Premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on 13 September as part of a TIFF Gala Presentation. UK audiences will then be able to see the film in cinemas from 6 November, with its BBC iPlayer and BBC One debut following later in the year.
With its unusual premise and two highly regarded performers at its centre, Onwards and Sideways looks to balance the emotional weight of its subject matter with warmth, humour and an emphasis on the unexpected connections that can emerge when life takes an unforeseen turn.
