Film adaptation of 'The Lost Child of Philomena Lee' stars Judi Dench, Steve Coogan

A movie adaptation of writer Martin Sixsmith's book stars Judi Dench as a woman looking for her long-lost son and Coogan as Sixsmith.

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Joel Ryan/Invision/AP
Judi Dench stars in 'Philomena.'

A trailer for the film adaptation of the book “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee” has been released, showing legendary actress Judi Dench in the lead role and Steve Coogan playing a journalist helping her find her son.

The book “Philomena,” written by Martin Sixsmith (whom Coogan portrays in the film), was written in 2009 and tells the true story of a woman named Philomena who becomes pregnant and is sent to a convent. When her baby is born, he’s brought to America for adoption and Philomena signs a document promising she’ll never look for him. She does, however, try to find him for the rest of her life and her son does the same despite the fact that the convent where his mother lived refuses to help him.

The film, titled simply "Philomena," is being directed by Stephen Frears, who was also behind the 2006 movie “The Queen” starring Helen Mirren.

Indiewire writer Oliver Lyttelton noted that Dench will probably be the subject of awards season buzz for the film, writing that “the first trailer for the picture … suggest[s] she might well be in with a shout when Oscar season nears.”

The movie is set to debut at the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 31. It’s scheduled to come out in the UK Nov. 1, but no US release date has yet been set.

Check out the full trailer.

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