1-2 Special Acquires North American Rights to Harris Dickinson’s Cannes-Winning Directorial Debut ‘Urchin’

Erik Anderson July 15, 2025

1-2 Special announced today that it has acquired all North American rights to Harris Dickinson’s Urchin. The directorial debut from one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation premiered at Cannes where it received rave reviews and was awarded the Best Performance Prize for breakout actor Frank Dillane by the Un Certain Regard jury, as well as the FIPRESCI Prize, awarded by the International Federation of Film Critics. 1-2 Special will release the film in theaters this fall.

The film is a deeply personal work centered on characters living on the margins. It follows Mike (Frank Dillane), a rough sleeper in London who is trapped in a cycle of self-destruction as he struggles to turn his life around. Raw and absurd with a biting sense of humor, the film is a story about the strange patterns that hold us back. In my review of Urchin out Cannes I said, “Dillane is spectacular here, giving a performance that is spiky and electric, like Gary Oldman in the 80s and early 90s.”

Harris Dickinson is known for his work in films such as Palme d’Or winner Triangle of Sadness, last year’s Babygirl in which he starred alongside Nicole Kidman, and box office and critical hits like The Iron Claw. He wrote and directed Urchin under his Devisio Pictures banner. Alongside Dillane, whose previous credits include Harvest and The Essex Serpent, the film stars Amr Waked (Ramy) and Megan Northam (Meanwhile on Earth). The film was shot by Josée Deshaies (Passages, The Beast) and features a score from electronic musician Alan Myson.

Producer Archie Pearch said, “We’re incredibly excited to have 1-2 Special on board as our North American distributor. Their bold, distinctive slate and deep passion for the film make them the ideal partner to help us connect with audiences across North America. As a new company ourselves, we recognized a kindred spirit in their entrepreneurial passion.”

Urchin was produced by Archie Pearch at Devisio Pictures, with Scott O’Donnell of Somesuch. The film was developed by BBC Film, and was financed by BBC Film, BFI, and Tricky Knot. Executive Producers are Eva Yates, Ama Ampadu, Alexandra Tynion, and Olivia Tyson.

The deal was negotiated by The Gersh Agency, UTA Independent Film Group, and Charades on behalf of the filmmakers with 1-2 Special.

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Erik Anderson

Erik Anderson is the founder/owner and Editor-in-Chief of AwardsWatch and has always loved all things Oscar, having watched the Academy Awards since he was in single digits; making lists, rankings and predictions throughout the show. This led him down the path to obsessing about awards. Much later, he found himself in film school and the film forums of GoldDerby, and then migrated over to the former Oscarwatch (now AwardsDaily), before breaking off to create AwardsWatch in 2013.

He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Critics Choice Association (CCA), San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.