Kino Lorber has acquired North American distribution rights to Clio Barnard’s “I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning,” starring Anthony Boyle, Joe Cole, Jay Lycurgo, Daryl McCormack and Lola Petticrew, which won the People’s Choice Audience Award at the 2026 Cannes Directors’ Fortnight.
The studio is planning a 2027 theatrical release followed by a digital, educational and home video release.
Based on the novel by Keiran Goddard and adapted by Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh, the film has continued to screen on the international festival circuit, most recently at BFI London Film Festival, AFI Fest, and Rome Film Festival, where it was awarded the top prize in the Progressive Cinema competition and star Anthony Boyle shared the Best Actor prize. It was also recently nominated for eight British Independent Film Awards, including best British independent film, best director, best screenplay, and best ensemble performance.
The AFI Fest program describes the film as concerning “a group of five friends in their late twenties navigate adulthood, broken hearts and the class divide in Barnard’s wickedly crowd-pleasing, social realist denunciation of late-stage capitalism.” We’re in.
The deal for “I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning”was negotiated by Kino Lorber VP of Acquisitions Karoliina Dwyer with Charades and Gersh.
“When I read Keiran’s novel ‘I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning’ I absolutely loved being in the company of Shiv, Patrick, Conor, Oli and Rian. I wanted to share this wonderful friendship group and the story of the struggles faced by their generation with cinema audiences so I’m absolutely thrilled that the film will have a release in the USA,” said Barnard in a statement.
“Director Clio Barnard has crafted something truly special with ‘I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning,’ a beautifully observed coming of age story that sensitively captures a generation grappling with unrealized dreams,” said Dwyer in an official statement. ”Her superb cast brings warmth and vulnerability to the five friends at the heart of the film, with an infectious energy that sweeps you into their shared celebrations, fears, and heartbreaks. We’re thrilled to bring this stunning film to North American audiences.”
The film was produced by Clio Barnard’s long-term producer Tracy O’Riordan of Moonspun Films. The film was developed with BBC Film who co-financed with BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), in association with TPC, Charades and Curzon Film.
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