With festival season segueing into Oscar season, the remaining films traveling the festival circuit are slowly making their way into distribution and eventual release. One standout that we caught up with at Karlovy Vary earlier this summer was British director Clio Barnard’s second feature, “The Selfish Giant.” The tale of a troubled young boy (Conor Chapman) and his best friend (Shawn Thomas) got a glowing “B+” review from our own Jessica Kiang who praised its power and lyricism.
The film’s first trailer has dropped and you can certainly witness the raw power of the actors already. As with several British dramas surrounding children released in the last few years, these kids are growing up in a world with no boundaries or rules. The consequences aren’t telegraphed in the brief two-minute trailer, but based on the dark trajectory, look for this one to be a sad and unrepentant drama. Sundance Selects will release the film on VOD on December 17th followed by a limited theatrical bow on December 20th. Be sure to track it down. Watch below.