First Trailer For Rural British Romance ‘God’s Own Country’

While “Call Me By Your Name” was the breakout gay romantic drama from this year’s Sundance Film Festival, another picture developed its own share of buzz in the same category. British film “God’s Own Country” earned comparisons to “Brokeback Mountain” for its depiction of love that unfolds against a rugged backdrop, and for writer/director Francis Lee, being placed in the same league as Ang Lee‘s film is just fine by him.

“I love ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ ” Lee told Empire. “The comparison feels like an honour, but they are very different. ‘Brokeback’ is of a particular time and place — its two central characters can’t be together because of society’s attitudes. In ‘God’s Own Country,’ it’s all to do with the central character’s inability to open up.”

Starring Josh O’Connor, Alec Secareanu, Ian Hart, and Gemma Jones, the story follows the relationship that blooms between a young English sheep farmer, a Romanian migrant worker. Here’s the synopsis from Sundance:

READ MORE: ‘God’s Own Country’ Is A Sexy, Muddy Tale Of A Gay Man Finding Love [Sundance Review]

Spring. Yorkshire, England. Johnny Saxby, a 25-year-old sheep farmer, has sacrificed going away to college or getting a job in town to run the family farm for his ailing father, Martin (Ian Hart), and stoic grandmother Deirdre (Gemma Jones), numbing the daily frustration of his desolate life with binge drinking and casual sex. As lambing season approaches, Martin hires a Romanian migrant worker, Gheorghe, to assist the already exhausted Johnny.

Johnny bitterly resents Gheorghe, stubbornly insisting he can cope on his own, but Gheorghe proves he not only understands this farming life, but more importantly, he understands Johnny.

Jessica Kiang raved in her five-star review that the film is utterly “captivating.” “God’s Own Country” opens in the U.K. on September 1st, and will be released in the U.S. via Samuel Goldwyn Films.