Jimpa, an upcoming family drama helmed by Olivia Colman and John Lithgow, has confirmed a UK release, with the film expected to premiere in 2026.
Directed by Australian filmmaker Sophie Hyde, Jimpa is loosely based on Hyde’s personal experiences with a queer parent and trans child. Leading the cast, Colman stars as Hannah, a mother based in Adelaide, who takes her non-binary teenager, Frances (played by Hyde’s own child, Aud Mason-Hyde), to Amsterdam to visit their gay grandfather, Jimpa (John Lithgow).
When Frances decides that they would like to stay in the city for a year, Hannah is forced to question her approach to parenting, leading to an emotional and reflective journey.
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Ahead of the film’s release, Hyde revealed (via Screen Daily): “Jimpa is a celebration of family and the wonderful, messy love of a group of people trying to do well by each other. It is a project that examines the stories we tell about our own lives, a love story to parenting and what we learn from our children and our families, and it’s made with a lot of love.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with so many wonderful people dedicated to bringing this film to audiences across the world.”


Mark De Blok/ Courtesy of Sundance Institute
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With Kino Lorber locked in as one of the movie’s distributors, Lisa Schwartz, the company’s chief distribution and revenue officer, added: “Sophie’s commitment to telling stories about queer families that invite diverse audiences to engage, connect and ultimately ignite conversations that build understanding and acceptance is more essential than ever.”
Meanwhile, Icon Film Distribution CEO Spencer Pollard hailed Jimpa as “an excellent film” which was “hot off the heels” of its premiere at Sundance in January 2025.
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Speaking with Vanity Fair, Colman was asked about playing a character based on her very own director. “I haven’t had that before. [Laughs] I felt quite nervous at the beginning, but very soon, Sophie just made you feel like you can’t go wrong. It’s your interpretation. It’s you doing it. And she just let me crack on with it, really,” the actor explained.
Jimpa will premiere in the UK and Ireland in 2026.
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Megan is a freelance news reporter for Digital Spy.Â