Rhys Ifans, Laura Linney's Parkinson's film Onwards and Sideways opens November 6

Onwards and Sideways, a British comedy-drama about living with Parkinson's disease starring Rhys Ifans and Laura Linney, opens in UK cinemas on Friday, 6 November 2026, after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. Directed by John Madden and written by Paul Mayhew-Archer, who himself lives with Parkinson's, the film follows two strangers, Tony and Emma, who are diagnosed with the condition at the same clinic on the same morning. Ifans and Linney have been promoting the film in a run of interviews, which made the pair one of the most searched topics in the UK on 2 November. The film will later be shown on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Parkinson's disease is a long-term condition of the nervous system that affects movement. Films about illness often lean towards tragedy. Onwards and Sideways sets out to do something different: to find humour and warmth in the shock of a diagnosis and the life that follows.

The writer's own experience gives the story weight. Paul Mayhew-Archer has spoken about drawing on his life with Parkinson's. Linney has said the cast and crew spent time learning what it means to live with Parkinson's, and Ifans has described attending dance classes run for the Parkinson's community. In interviews from the Toronto premiere, the two actors said they wanted to stop their characters being defined by the disease, and described humour as a way of coping, a "lifejacket" in Linney's words in one interview.

Early reviews have been warm. Screen Daily described the pairing as forming a "bittersweet bond" in a "poignant" drama. A report on its opening in Welsh cinemas called the film "life-affirming".

For audiences in India and elsewhere, a film that treats a long-term condition with frankness and humour can help start conversations in families. The film's later run on the BBC and streaming platforms will make it easier to find outside UK cinemas.

Peepals timeline: In September 2026, Onwards and Sideways had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where Ifans, Linney and Madden spoke about making a Parkinson's story that finds laughter and love. In October, the first UK reviews appeared. Around 2 November, a new round of interviews with the two stars drew wide attention in the UK. On 6 November 2026, the film opens in UK cinemas, with a BBC One and iPlayer showing to follow.

Short-term: The film arrives in UK cinemas with strong word of mouth from its festival run and its stars' interviews.

Long-term: Its television premiere on the BBC will bring it to a much wider audience, and it may encourage more open portrayals of people living with long-term conditions.

Who is affected: Film audiences, people living with Parkinson's and their families, carers, and charities working on Parkinson's awareness.

What to watch next: The UK cinema release on 6 November 2026.

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