Midwinter Break looks at the fault lines of a long marriage

Midwinter Break follows Stella and Gerry, a retired Irish couple whose Amsterdam holiday brings long-standing tensions to the surface; the film is adapted from Bernard MacLaverty’s novel.

Midwinter Break follows Stella and Gerry, a retired Irish couple from Glasgow whose routine life is interrupted by a surprise trip to Amsterdam. The holiday provides space for small pleasures and recurring tensions to appear. The film is adapted from Bernard MacLaverty’s novel and is directed by Polly Findlay in her first feature. Performances by Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hinds anchor the film as it explores questions of faith, commitment and habit. Key facts: - The central characters are Stella and Gerry, played by Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hinds, who are described as an older, long-married Irish couple. - The couple leaves Glasgow for a holiday in Amsterdam, where everyday habits and unresolved tensions resurface. - The film is based on a novel by Bernard MacLaverty; Nick Payne is credited with adapting material for the screenplay and Polly Findlay directs her first feature. - The story touches on a past episode tied to the Troubles in Northern Ireland, which hangs over the couple's history. - The film’s style is described as unhurried and sparse in dialogue, relying on gestures and quiet moments to convey a 40-year marriage. - A reviewer notes strong performances from the leads but describes the film’s resolution as somewhat pat. Summary: The film centres on the everyday rhythms of a long marriage and raises questions about what keeps two people together as routines and old habits intrude. Undetermined at this time.