A Long Winter

Andrew Haigh, the filmmaker behind Weekend and 45 Years, returns with A Long Winter, a drama that adapts a Colm Tóibín short story. The film stars Fred Hechinger as a young man returning to his rural Irish hometown, where he reconnects with his estranged mother, played by Caitríona Balfe. Kit Connor appears as a childhood friend, while Ebon Moss-Bachrach and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai round out the ensemble as local figures who complicate the protagonist's path. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo also features in a supporting role.

Haigh's signature approach, blending intimate character study with a quiet, atmospheric tone, promises a film that feels more like a slow-burn novel than a conventional drama. The movie unfolds over a single season, using the harsh Irish winter as a backdrop for themes of grief, forgiveness, and the weight of home. With a runtime of just under two hours, A Long Winter is a measured, contemplative piece that rewards patience. It's a strong addition to Haigh's filmography and a must-watch for fans of character-driven storytelling. [edit]

Set high in the mountains where fall gives way to a punishing winter, A Long Winter follows Miquel, a young man in his early twenties, as he returns to his rural Irish hometown. He hasn't been back in years, and the place feels both familiar and foreign. His mother, played by Caitríona Balfe, still lives in the family home, but the warmth he once knew has cooled into something guarded and distant. Miquel's homecoming stirs up old tensions, and he finds himself navigating a landscape of memory, loss, and unspoken regret.

The story, adapted from Colm Tóibín's 2006 short story of the same name, is told entirely from Miquel's perspective. As the days grow shorter and the cold settles in, he reconnects with a childhood friend, played by Kit Connor, whose presence brings back a version of himself he thought he'd left behind. Local figures, played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, complicate his path, each carrying their own weight of history with the family. Through these encounters, Miquel begins to see his mother not just as the person who raised him, but as someone shaped by her own trials and secrets.

The film unfolds over a single season, using the harsh Irish winter as a backdrop for themes of grief, forgiveness, and the weight of home. Haigh's direction favors long, quiet takes and naturalistic dialogue, letting the performances breathe. The narrative builds slowly, layering small moments of connection and confrontation until the emotional stakes become impossible to ignore. It's a story about the bonds that tie us to place and people, and the difficult work of finding a way back to both.

As a co-production between Mubi and Film4, the project carries the pedigree of two major players in independent cinema. The film began principal photography in late October 2025 in Alberta, Canada, which doubles for rural Ireland, and wrapped in early December of that year. The expected release is September 2026, with a premiere at the New York Film Festival.[edit]