'' Love & Friendship '' is a 2016 period comedy film written and directed by Whit Stillman . Based on Jane Austen 's epistolary novel '' Lady Susan '' , written c. 1794 , the film stars Kate Beckinsale , Chloë Sevigny , Xavier Samuel , and Emma Greenwell . The film follows recently widowed Lady Susan in her intrepid and calculating exploits to secure suitably wealthy husbands for her daughter and herself . Although adapted from '' Lady Susan '' , the film was produced under the borrowed title of Austen 's juvenile story '' Love and Freindship '' . The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival . Theatrically released on May 13 , 2016 , by Roadside Attractions and Amazon Studios , the film received critical acclaim and was a box office success in North America , though it was not widely released ( peaking at 826 theaters in its second week )
2016 Sundance Film Festival
2016 Sundance Film Festival
Love & Friendship