Onwards and Sideways On the red carpet with Rhys Ifans, Laura Linney and more at the London premiere

Ezelle Alblas 6 November 2026

Onwards and Sideways On the red carpet with Rhys Ifans, Laura Linney and more at the London premiere

Directed by John Madden, Onwards And Sideways is a touching drama centred around Parkinson’s disease. Written by Paul Mayhew-Archer, who lives with the condition himself, the narrative blends the tragedy of decline with bold elements of comedy and anchors the entire feature with a heartwarming love story.

When Julia (Laura Linney), a single mother and music composer and Tony (Rhys Ifans), a widowed deputy head teacher, first cross paths in the car park of their local GP surgery, neither realise they’re both simultaneously about to receive a Parkinson’s diagnosis with a blunt prognosis of “five good years” left. The chance encounter develops into a romantic relationship as they also learn to manage the physical toll of the disease, from frightening night terrors to medication-induced obsessive behaviours.

The film gives viewers an authentic insight into the disease, and The Upcoming had the pleasure of attending the red carpet premiere and speaking to the creator, Mayhew-Archer, about why he wanted to make this personal movie, the importance of comedy running through it, and why he himself appeared in the feature too.

We spoke to Ifans and Linney about coming on board with the project, how they authentically prepared for their roles and what they hoped viewers would take from watching the film.

Monica Dolan talked about her role as a caregiver and how she hoped the film would shine a spotlight on the complexities of taking on that responsibility. She also spoke about working closely with Ifans to get the dynamics right and how the dark humour was such an important element in the story.

Director John Madden was keen to share his pride at being a part of the project and the collaborative process of bringing it to screen. He also shared his enjoyment of the storylines of romance and the humour that underpin the feature.

John Gore chatted about the project and how excited he was to be behind the distribution of this poignant film. He spoke about the brilliant cast who helped shape the authenticity of this cognitive disease, and how much he enjoyed working with Mayhew-Archer on such a personal account.

The Upcoming spoke to Sara Powell about her role as the headteacher of the school that Ifans’s character Tony works in, how brilliantly the school children worked to create a believable environment and how amazing it was to work with the rest of the ensemble cast.

Executive producer Hilary Bevan Jones voiced her excitement at working on the initial script with Mayhew-Archer and then seeing it come together on screen. She relayed the importance of humour and authenticity behind the film and what a brilliant cast they had to collaborate with.