Jimpa, the poignant new family drama starring Academy Award winner Olivia Colman, has arrived as one of the year’s most touching cinematic offerings, blending humour, heartache, and hope in a story inspired by real-life experiences.

Directed by Sophie Hyde (Animals, 52 Tuesdays), Jimpa follows Hannah (Colman), a devoted mother who accompanies her non-binary teenager Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde) on a trip from Australia to Amsterdam to visit Frances’ estranged gay grandfather, Jimpa (John Lithgow). What begins as a simple family reunion quickly evolves into a profound exploration of identity, generational divides, love, and reconciliation.

Colman, in a role that feels tailor-made for her warmth and emotional depth, portrays Hannah as a protective yet flawed parent navigating her child’s coming-of-age while confronting her own unresolved feelings about her father’s past. Lithgow, as the flamboyant, unapologetic Jimpa, delivers a performance full of wit and vulnerability, creating electric chemistry with Colman that anchors the film’s emotional core.

The script, co-written by Hyde and Matthew Cormack, draws from Hyde’s personal experiences raising a non-binary child, lending authenticity to Frances’ journey. Newcomer Aud Mason-Hyde brings remarkable sensitivity to the role, capturing the quiet strength and confusion of adolescence with nuance far beyond their years.

Filmed on location in Amsterdam and Adelaide, Jimpa beautifully contrasts the vibrant, open-minded Dutch city with the more conservative Australian backdrop, using the settings to mirror the characters’ internal conflicts. The cinematography captures intimate moments — shared glances over canal-side dinners, awkward silences in Jimpa’s colourful apartment — that speak volumes without dialogue.

Critics have hailed the film as “marvellous” and “deeply moving.” The Guardian praised Colman’s “luminous, layered performance,” while Variety called it “a rare queer family story that feels universal.” At its premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival, audiences were reduced to tears and applause, with many describing it as “the warm hug cinema needs right now.”

What elevates Jimpa beyond typical family dramas is its refusal to offer easy resolutions. Conflicts arise not from villainy but from love clashing with fear, misunderstanding, and the passage of time. The film handles trans and queer identity with care and normalcy, never sensationalising but allowing Frances’ truth to simply exist as part of the family tapestry.

Supporting performances from Frank Gallacher and Tilda Cobham-Hervey add texture to the ensemble, while the soundtrack — featuring original songs and a gentle acoustic score — enhances the film’s emotional resonance.

Jimpa is a reminder of cinema’s power to foster empathy. In an era often divided, it offers a gentle yet unflinching look at how families — chosen or blood — can bridge gaps through honesty and acceptance. Colman, Lithgow, and Mason-Hyde deliver performances that linger long after the credits, making this one of the most heartfelt films of the year.

Now playing in select cinemas and available on demand, Jimpa is essential viewing for anyone who believes love, in all its messy forms, is worth fighting for.