Kindling, the feature debut from British writer/director Connor O’Hara, has been acquired by Signature Entertainment for the U.K. and Ireland.

The film, produced by Mark Foligno (The King’s Speech, Moon) and Jamie Gamache, was inspired by O’Hara’s short film Infinite starring 1917 lead George MacKay, which was also produced by Gamache under the Lowkey Films banner he established with O’Hara.

Kindling follows Sid (George Somner, Sex Education), who creates a plan to make his final summer unforgettable after receiving a terminal diagnosis. Reuniting with his childhood friends in their hometown, he gives each a category and asks them to find a memento that reflects that word and their friendship. Once they’ve gathered the items, they’ll meet at the end of the week, building a fire together to burn the items they have collected in a ritual that Sid believes will make him last forever.

Alongside Netflix hit Sex Education, in which he plays Joe, Somner’s other credits include the BBC’s This Is Going to Hurt and Paramount’s Crawl, while he’s also set to star in Hunger Games prequel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. 

“We are delighted to have acquired such a brilliant British debut in Kindling, a deeply moving and important film that we look forward to bringing to audiences in early 2023,” said Signature’s director of acquisitions and development, Elizabeth Williams, who negotiated the deal with Carnaby International’s Evelyn Xing. 

“I’m incredibly excited to be partnering with Signature on my debut feature, Kindling,” added O’Hara. “Signature have shown such an innate care and understanding towards the personal aspects of the film. I can’t wait to get the film out there together.”