THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY is the story of an unremarkable man who sets off on a remarkable journey. Harold lives a life without purpose until he learns an old friend is dying and vows that in walking across England to see her, his journey can keep her alive. Based on the 2012 New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller of the same name, this heartfelt and original take on the coming-of-age narrative will resonate with audiences of all ages.
Recently retired, Harold Fry is well into his 60s and content to fade quietly into the background of life. Harold’s life with his wife Maureen is uneventful and their marriage frozen, due to an unspeakable conflict relating to the absence of their son, until one day, Harold learns his old friend Queenie is dying. He sets off to the post office to send her a letter and decides to keep walking: all the way to her hospice, 450 miles away. A story of rediscovery and transformation, HAROLD FRY is an uplifting reminder that you’re never too old to take a chance, and that kindness is less rare than you think.
HAROLD FRY’s heartfelt narrative is anchored by poignant performances from Academy Award Winner Jim Broadbent as Harold, alongside Dame Penelope Wilton DBE as his wife Maureen. It is the first work from Director Hettie Macdonald since the successful BBC series NORMAL PEOPLE. The film was developed with the support of The British Film Institute and Film4 and awarded National Lottery Funding. Author Rachel Joyce, who won the 2012 UK National Book Award for the New Writer of the Year, also penned the screenplay. HAROLD FRY was shot sequentially on location across the UK, mirroring Harold’s own pilgrimage.
THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY makes its journey to cinemas in 2023.
© Pilgrimage Films Limited and the British Film Institute 2022
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Penelope Wilton, Earl Cave
Director: Hettie Macdonald
