URCHIN
URCHIN
The directorial debut of Harris Dickinson (TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, BABYGIRL), premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes. A raw yet deeply compassionate portrait of a homeless young man fighting for dignity on the streets of London. A magnetic, fiercely authentic piece of cinema that captures the restless voice of a new generation of British filmmakers.
Presented in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, URCHIN marks an impressive directorial debut from one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation, Harris Dickinson (TRIANGLE OF SADNESS, BABYGIRL, and GEORGIE IS JUST FINE, shown at the 2024 British Film Festival).
Dickinson delivers a stark yet profoundly intimate portrait of a young man rendered invisible by the relentless pace of the city. His protagonist drifts through the streets of a London gripped by a homelessness crisis, where each day becomes a quiet battle - not only for survival, but for the last shreds of dignity.
Critics have praised the film’s magnetism and authenticity - and Dickinson left Cannes with the FIPRESCI Award, presented by the International Federation of Film Critics. The director deftly avoids cheap sentimentality, offering instead a film of piercing honesty and deep empathy. He refrains from judging his character, observing him with tenderness and precision, his hesitant attempts to connect, his bursts of rage, his mistrust of kindness, and the pride that keeps him from accepting help.
While URCHIN draws from the tradition of British social realism, Dickinson infuses it with the pulse of contemporary London, transforming it into a vital and timely reflection on the homelessness crisis. It’s a moving, visually striking work, anchored by an outstanding central performance from Frank Dillane (also appearing in HARVEST from the High Season section).
A must-see for anyone who turns to cinema in search of truth and raw emotion. A remarkable actor becomes, before our very eyes, an extraordinary filmmaker.
Text: Karolina Kulig
