Actor turned director Dexter Fletcher’s directorial debut picked up the Youth Award at San Sebastian and will go on to have its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

Anchor Bay has picked up UK distribution rights to British actor Dexter Fletcher’s directorial debut Wild Bill.

The film, about a father who is reunited with his sons after being released after eight years in prison, stars Charlie Creed Miles, Will Poulter, Sammy Williams and Liz White.

Wild Bill had its world premiere at San Sebastian where it won the festival’s Youth Award. It will go on to have its UK premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

Anchor Bay will release in the UK in early 2012.

“We’ve been consistently looking for special films that push forward our wider company remit, bigger and better projects and in particular home grown films that we can really fly the flag with. This really ticked all those boxes,” said Anchor Bay’s senior product manager Thom Leaman.

“People assume it’s going to be a geezer, Guy Ritchie type film [Fletcher starred in Ritchie’s Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels]. It’s got the gritty crime elements, but it’s more about a father and son relationship and it’s also got a strong female cast.  I think people are going to be really surprised,” he added.