Hideaways

A romance between two loners flourishes in this darkly romantic drama. The Furlong men all were blessed or cursed with unique abilities. Ten-year-old James Furlong's father was able to shut off all electricity around him when he was scared, and his grandfather went temporarily blind when he thought about sex. James' mother died while giving birth to him, and as he experiments to figure out what his ability is, he unintentionally causes the death of his father and grandmother. Then, when he's sent to a reformatory school and sparks a strange illness that wipes out all the children who bullied him, James flees to a cottage in the woods to live a life of isolation. Years later, as a young man, James is discovered by Mae, a young cancer patient who escapes from the nearby hospital. As their special relationship blossoms, both learn to live with the curses—and blessings—they inherit. Director Agnès Merlet (Artemisia) laces this whimsical fable with magical-realist elements and a bit of colorful humor. Harry Treadaway and Rachel Hurd-Wood parlay their enchanting chemistry into captivating performances as James and Mae.