Laia costa josh o'connor

Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor

Laia Costa, who starred in Sebastian Schipper’s Victoria, and Josh O’Connor, the breakout star of critical darling God’s Own Country, will lead the cast of Harry Wootliff’s debut feature Only You. Wootliff’s previous films include shorts Nits, which played in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in 2004, and Trip, which debuted at Berlin in 2008.

London and Paris-based The Bureau is producing the project and is launching international sales via its sales arm The Bureau Sales in Toronto. Curzon Artificial Eye has pre-bought UK rights.

The story follows a madly-in-love young couple whose relationship begins to suffer when they struggle to conceive a child. Filming begins this month in Glasgow. The film is produced by Matthieu de Braconier, and Tristan Goligher for The Bureau, Rachel Dargavel for Crybaby and Claire Mundell for Synchronicity Films. Sean Wheelan from Filmgate Films is a co-producer.

Creative Scotland is the majority financier with further finance coming from Curzon Artificial Eye, Constellation Creatives, Film I Vast and The Bureau.

Only You joins a growing sales slate for The Bureau, alongside Venice competition title Lean On Pete, and So Help Me God and Sollers Point, both of which will premiere in competition at this year’s San Sebastian Film Festival.

Jennifer Armitage of Creative Scotland commented: “We are proud to support Only You – a very contemporary love story set in the heart of Glasgow, and the debut feature film from emerging female director Harry Wootliff. The film is an exciting new co-production between Claire Mundell of Synchronicity Films and Tristan Goligher of The Bureau, following their previous successful collaboration on Weekend. Only You features outstanding talent on screen, with Josh O’Connor and Laia Costa in the lead roles.”

Louisa Dent of Curzon Artificial Eye added: “We are delighted to be involved right at the beginning of this exciting project. We’ve been fans of Harry since her short films and as soon as we read the script we knew the relationship at the heart of this powerful drama would resonate with audiences. We’re immensely proud to be supporting Harry’s first feature and the superb Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor are perfect casting.”