John, a 35-year-old window cleaner, has dedicated his life to bringing up his 4-year-old son, Michael, after the child’s mother left them soon after giving birth. When he is given only a few months left to live, he attempts to find a new, perfect family for his young son, Michael, determined to shield him from the terrible reality of the situation. As John struggles to find the right answer to his impossible task, he comes to accept the help of a young social worker, opening himself to solutions he would never have considered. And he finally comes to accept his anger at the injustice of his destiny, the need to share the truth with his son, and to follow the child’s instincts on the biggest decision of their lives.

Runtime: 96m • Not Rated

WRITER/DIRECTOR’S NOTE – Uberto Pasolini

“I wanted to make this film as soon as I read about the case of a terminally ill father attempting to find a new family for his toddler son before his death. Although the situation the main characters find themselves in is very dramatic, the decision at script level was to approach the story in a very subtle, “quiet” way, as far away from melodrama and sentimentalism as possible, as in a film by Yasujirō Ozu, or, more recently, the work of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. This approach was reflected in the style of the film-making we adopted, direct and free from distracting stylistic flourishes. Marius Panduru’s camera work was designed to be both fluid and unobtrusive, when appropriate, even reflecting the child’s point of view. The main directorial challenge of the film was that of working with a very young child, and of creating a believable and moving father-son relationship on camera. Fortunately, in young Daniel Lamont, then four years old, we have an extraordinarily aware and sensitive natural performer, and in James Norton a most generous actor, who was happy to dedicate long days into creating a connection with the boy well ahead of the shoot, and to support and guide Daniel throughout what for any child would have been an intense and at times bewildering experience.”

PRAISE FOR NOWHERE SPECIAL

“Beautifully subtle work by Norton…endearing and utterly relatable to any parent.” –RogerEbert.com

“Nowhere Special is one of the great father-son movies. There’s truth behind these tears. –Indiewire

“An intimate family drama…an affecting portrait of parental devotion” –The Hollywood Reporter

“Norton’s performance dominates.” –The Times (UK)

“Hugely affecting and perfectly played.” –Empire Magazine

“An incredibly moving film.“ –Variety

“Tremendous James Norton performance.” –The Guardian