The Arrival, the feature directorial debut from theatre director Bijan Sheibani, has wrapped shooting in London, with Kingsley Ben-Adir (Bob Marley: One Love), Archie Madekwe (Lurker), Joanna Scanlan (After Love), and Alex Descas (Let the Sunshine In) among the cast.
Based on Sheibani’s acclaimed play of the same name, the film is described as a “gut-wrenching depiction of identity, obsession and betrayal,” charting the reunion of two long-lost brothers, Raheem (Madekwe) and Tom (Ben-Adir), in adulthood. Tom, the elder of the two, was given up for adoption as an infant. The film examines the exhilarating and uncanny experience of meeting a blood brother for the first time in adulthood. As the brothers grow closer, seduced by the idea of their shared history finally making sense, they must confront the uncomfortable truths at the heart of their family, and the impossible decision that their parents (Scanlan and Descas) made thirty years ago.
Sheibani is an Olivier Award-winning director, and The Arrival marked his writing debut for the theatre. Most recently, he directed Till the Stars Come Down for the National Theatre, which transferred to the Theatre Royal Haymarket. In TV, he wrote multiple episodes of One Day for Netflix. His other theatre directing credits include Dance Nation (Almeida Theatre), Barber Shop Chronicles (National Theatre), and The Brothers Size (Young Vic).
Sheibani directs from a screenplay he wrote. The film was developed with Film4 alongside DMC Film (Kneecap) and House Productions (Conclave), who also co-produced the film. The project was co-financed by Film4 and the BFI, with Cornerstone on board to handle world sales.
The Arrival is produced by Tessa Ross (Conclave), Juliette Howell (Brexit: The Uncivil War), and Theo Barrowclough (Scrapper) for House Productions. Michael Fassbender, Daniel Emmerson, and Conor McCaughan produce for DMC Film. Nell Green is also on board as a producer. David Kimbangi is the executive producer for Film4 and Ama Ampadu for the BFI. The project shot across the UK this summer.
“In The Arrival, Bijan Sheibani is bringing his unique voice and style to create a film that deftly explores issues of identity and roads not taken,” Ampadu, Senior Production and Development Executive at the BFI, said in a statement. “Following his success in theatre and based on his play of the same name, Bijan and his producer Theo Barrowclough have brought together a fantastic team and an exciting cast, led by Archie Madekwe and Kingsley Ben-Adir, to create a gripping, striking and heartfelt debut feature.”
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