'Cavendish' Casts Thatcher, Kellyman, Alwyn for Cannes Sales
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- 'Cavendish' is set in 1645 Britain, with Sophie Thatcher as a privileged bride accused of witchcraft on her wedding day, Joe Alwyn as the witch hunter pursuing her, and Erin Kellyman as a poacher she forms an uneasy alliance with — billed as blending 'visceral action with sharp, unexpected humour.'
- Cornerstone will launch international sales and distribution at Cannes, with CAA Media Finance handling domestic; principals Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder called it 'a real page-turner' with 'a bold subversion of traditional female roles.'
- Christopher Andrews writes and directs from his own script, following debut feature 'Bring Them Down,' which premiered at TIFF 2024 in Special Presentation and won the Douglas Hickox Award for Outstanding Debut Director at the British Independent Film Awards.
- Wild Swim Films' BAFTA-winning producers Ivana MacKinnon and Emily Leo are joined by January Films and Polish entity Madants, with the project developed in collaboration with BBC Film and receiving cash rebate funding from the Polish Film Institute.
- Production is locked for Poland in September 2026.
Why it matters: Cornerstone is pitching a 17th-century action-thriller to Cannes buyers anchored by three actors on post-prestige momentum (Heretic, The Brutalist, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple). With BBC Film development support and Polish Film Institute funding already secured, the September 2026 Poland shoot is partially de-risked before a single frame is shot — a meaningful advantage for a pre-production sales package.
