Goodbye June

Kate Winslet makes her directing debut and stars in Goodbye June, from a script by her son Joe Anders. He’s crafted a moving story about a large family forced to cope suddenly with a dying matriarch during the Christmas season. Messy, tender, funny — the film will be relatable for anyone who’s cared for a declining elder or spent time with loved ones in hospital rooms and experienced the gamut of bittersweet emotions that come with facing mortality.

Kate Winslet’s directorial debut Goodbye June tells the story of a family grappling with the imminent loss of their matriarch June, played by Helen Mirren. Her cancer has returned with a vengeance. That causes the family to scramble to bring everyone together for a final goodbye and a celebration of the holiday early, so she can take part. Eldest child Julia ( Winslet) spearheads the planning, while 30-something unlaunched son Connor (Johnny Flynn) tries to stuff his sadness, and stay-at-home mom and middle child Molly (Andrea Riseborough) silently fumes she’s not as involved in the decisions. Family new ager Helen (Toni Collette) rushes to get home from LA. June’s ineffectual husband Bernie (Timothy Spall) just waits to be told what to do, all while nurse Angel (Fisayo Akinade), who is acting as an unofficial death doula, tries to keep June comfortable while focusing on giving the family a “good goodbye”.