‘A Long Winter’ sets release date as Fred Hechinger faces family crisis in mountains
Fred Hechinger’s next family drama comes with a search party and a winter that offers little room for mistakes. In 'A Long Winter,' a mother’s disappearance sends her son and husband into Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. Andrew Haigh directs the adaptation of Colm Tóibín’s short story. The first trailer introduces a household under strain before the search even begins.
MUBI will release the film in US theaters on January 22, 2027, following select New York screenings beginning December 4. The December screenings give New York audiences an earlier opportunity to see it. The January date marks its expansion to additional US theaters. Deadline also reports a January 22 opening in Canada, with the UK and Ireland getting the film on January 15.
The story takes place in 1951, with Hechinger playing Mike. Caitríona Balfe plays his mother, Louise, while Ebon Moss-Bachrach portrays his father, Lester. Kit Connor plays Mike’s younger brother, Tommy, who leaves to fight in the Korean War. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Martin Freeman also feature in the ensemble.
Before Louise disappears, she is increasingly unhappy with the family’s isolated life. Lester struggles to understand her dissatisfaction. Tommy’s departure for the Korean War brings another change to the household. The trailer introduces these relationships alongside the search, establishing the family circumstances behind Louise’s disappearance.
The official synopsis reads: “In 1951, high in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Mike’s (Hechinger) world is thrown into uncertainty when his mother vanishes into the wilderness. Alongside his complicated father, and with their small mountain community rallying together against the unforgiving winter, Mike embarks on a search that leads him toward an unexpected journey of self-discovery, belonging and the quiet strength required to carry on.”
The casting brings together faces viewers will recognize from several television series. Moss-Bachrach stars in 'The Bear,' while Balfe is known for 'Outlander.' Connor’s credits include 'Heartstopper,' and Hechinger appeared in 'The White Lotus.' Here, their characters belong to a family whose tensions become part of the story surrounding Louise’s disappearance.
For Haigh, the film follows 'All of Us Strangers,' '45 Years,' 'Lean on Pete,' and 'Weekend.' His latest feature has already played the Telluride, Toronto, and New York film festivals. MUBI developed the project and co-financed it with Film4. Producers include Tristan Goligher for The Bureau, Chad Oakes and Mike Frislev for Nomadic Pictures, and Michael Elliott.
