Philomena, directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen, Dangerous Liaisons), is the true story of one mother’s search for her lost son. Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a “fallen woman”. When her baby was only a toddler, he was whisked away by the nuns to America for adoption. Philomena (Judi Dench) spent the next fifty years searching for him in vain. Then she met Martin Sixsmith (the hilarious Steve Coogan), a world-weary journalist as cynical as Philomena was trusting. Together they set off for America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena’s son, but also the powerful bond that grew between Philomena and Martin.
Based on Sixsmith’s acclaimed book, Frears masterfully delivers a moving and surprisingly funny delight, a compelling narrative of human love and loss and ultimately a celebration of life. With a phenomenal lead performance from Judi Dench, Philomena premiered to rapturous applause just weeks ago at the Venice Film Festival.