Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning has taken Best Film in the Progressive Cinema competition at the 2026 Rome Film Festival. The award was announced October 24, capping a festival run that began at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in May, where the film took the Audience Award.
The film follows five childhood friends in Birmingham approaching 30. Their early ambitions have eroded; the UK housing crisis sits in the background. Barnard directed from a screenplay she wrote with Enda Walsh, adapting Keiran Goddard’s 2026 novel of the same name. The cast includes Anthony Boyle, Joe Cole, Jay Lycurgo, Daryl McCormack, and Lola Petticrew. Boyle also shared the Rome Best Actor prize with Paolo Pierobon for Brianza.
Shot on a hybrid of 16mm and digital, the film was produced by Tracy O’Riordan through Moonspun Films, with BBC Film and BFI as production partners. Curzon Film holds UK distribution rights; the film opens December 4, 2026.
The film holds a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. According to Screen Daily, Nikki Baughan called it “an expertly-observed study of human relationships.” Peter Bradshaw gave it five stars in The Guardian, citing “the warmth and heartfelt passion” of the cast.
