Bleecker Street Secures U.S. Rights to TIFF Standout ‘One Life,’ Starring Anthony Hopkins

Bleecker Street has secured the U.S. distribution rights to the acclaimed TIFF film “One Life.” The drama, directed by James Hawes, boasts a stellar cast, including Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, Jonathan Pryce, and Helena Bonham Carter. Penned by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, the movie is a production of See-Saw Films in collaboration with BBC Film. Bleecker Street plans to release it theatrically in 2024.

“One Life,” based on Barbara Winton’s book “If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton,” narrates the true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (played by Flynn). Winton, a young London broker, visits Prague in December 1938 and races against time to convince Trevor Chadwick (Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to save as many children as possible before the Nazis seal the borders. Fifty years later, Nicky (Hopkins) grapples with the guilt of not being able to rescue all the children. It takes the BBC show “That’s Life!” to reunite him with some of those he saved, transforming him from anonymity into a national hero.

“One Life” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, receiving rave reviews. The film will also be featured at the BFI London Film Festival this week.

This project received support from BBC Film and is a BBC Film and MBK Productions presentation, in association with Cross City Films, FilmNation Entertainment, and Lipsync. Producers include Joanna Laurie, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, and Guy Heeley, with Simon Gillis, Eva Yates, Barbara Winton, Maria Logan, Anne Sheehan, and Peter Hampden serving as executive producers. See-Saw and Cross City Films brokered the deal with CAA Media Finance and Simon Gill, while Bleecker Street was represented by Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales.

Bleecker Street had a busy TIFF, acquiring the UK rights to Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” and the U.S. rights to the British comedy “Fackham Hall.” Their upcoming slate includes Meg Ryan’s “What Happens Later,” “Waitress: The Musical,” “The Origin,” and “I.S.S.” Recent releases include “Golda,” “Jules,” “The Starling Girl,” and “The Lesson.”