Lesley Manville’s “gripping” British spy thriller confirms first UK screening

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The new thriller Winter of the Crow, starring Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville, will have its UK premiere in June as part of the SXSW London festival. The film, directed by Kasia Adamik, features Manville as Dr. Joan Andrews, a British psychiatrist working in Warsaw during the Cold War. She becomes caught up in political unrest when martial law is declared in Poland in December 1981.

The spy thriller Winter of the Crow, with a screenplay by Sandra Buchta and starring Tom Burke, Zofia Wichłacz, and Andrzej Konopka, is based on Olga Tokarczuk’s short story ‘Professor Andrews Goes to Warsaw’. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September and will now be shown at SXSW London.

The film was well-received after premiering at TIFF, with IndieWire calling it a powerfully engaging story about totalitarianism and praising its remarkably evocative depiction of the time period.

I thought Lesley Manville was absolutely incredible as Dr. Andrews! Variety really hit the nail on the head – they said she ‘carries the film with an air of increasingly raw determination,’ and honestly, I couldn’t agree more. She just completely embodies the character and drives the whole story forward.

According to Screen International, the film has broad audience potential due to its fast pace, realistic action reminiscent of The Bourne Identity, and a compelling performance by Manville.

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Several films will have their UK premieres at SXSW London, including Winter of the Crow, the queer horror film Leviticus (previously shown at Sundance), and Olivia Wilde’s new movie, The Invite.

Sofia Coppola’s film, Marc by Sofia, which follows fashion designer Marc Jacobs, is also screening at the festival. It first premiered at the Venice International Film Festival last September.

One of the most talked-about movies at SXSW London is Jane Schoenbrun’s new film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, which features Hannah Einbinder from Hacks and Gillian Anderson from Sex Education. The film will be shown as the festival’s closing event before being released to a wider audience on August 21st.

Winter of the Crow will have its UK premiere at SXSW London, running 1-6 June.

The latest issue of Living Legends is now available! This 100-page, full-color magazine celebrates the incredible Sir David Attenborough. You can find it at newsstands or order it online.

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2026-04-30 19:19