Kate Winslet's Directorial Debut, 'Goodbye June' Lands December Release

Christmas creep is a scourge, one that has only worsened over time. It used to be that the issue was one limited to stores, as retailers pushed the shopping season back practically into September. But the advent of streaming has opened up a whole new subset of Christmas Creep on the small screen, as broadcast networks and streaming services alike have discovered that holiday-based programming is the one thing outside of the sporting world where viewers will faithfully tune in and watch in a timely manner. (As the saying goes, no one watches a Christmas Tree Lighting in February.)

We here at Telly Visions try very hard to keep Christmas where it belongs, after Spooky Season, thank you kindly. However, sometimes a Christmas film comes along that's worth noting, even in August, such as Netflix's upcoming December release, Goodbye June.

At first glance, Goodbye June boasts a surprisingly impressive cast for a Christmas family drama, featuring some of the best actors working in the U.K. today, including fan favorite Kate Winslet (The Regime). However, the cast makes a lot more sense when you learn that the film is also directed by Winslet, marking her first-ever turn helming a feature film, so naturally, she asked her friends to join her.

Here's the film's synopsis:

It’s nearly Christmas when an unexpected turn in their mother’s health thrusts four adult siblings, and their exasperating father, into chaos as they navigate messy family dynamics in the face of potential loss. But their quick-witted mother, June, orchestrates her decline on her own terms - with biting humor, blunt honesty, and a lot of love.

The film stars Winslet, along with Johnny Flynn (One Life), Andrea Riseborough (Alice & Jack), Timothy Spall (Death Valley), Helen Mirren (The Thursday Murder Club), and Australian actor Toni Collette (The Staircase). Supporting cast includes Stephen Merchant (The Outlaws), Fisayo Akinade (The Personal History of David Copperfield), Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso), and Raza Jaffrey (The Serpent Queen).

The film's script was written by Joe Anders, the son of Winslet and director Sam Mendes. Winslet executive-produced the film alongside Kate Solomon, who was the producer on Winslet's last major feature film, Lee.

Goodbye June will receive a limited release in select U.S. theaters (making Winslet and her film eligible for awards season), starting Friday, December 12, before moving to stream on Netflix just in time for the Christmas holiday on December 24, 2025.