Blethyn 's first film in two years , Rachid Bouchareb 's '' London River '' opened at the 59th Berlin International Film Festival in 2009 where it won a Special Mention by the Ecumenical Jury . In the film , for which Blethyn had to learn French , she portrays a mother waiting for news of her missing child after the London bombings of July 2005 , striking up a friendship with a Muslim man , whose child has also disappeared . Blethyn , who had initially felt sceptical and reticent about the film due to its background , was originally not available for filming but Bouchareb decided to delay filming to work with her . Upon release , the film received favourable reviews , particularly for its " dynamite acting " . Mike Scott from '' The Times-Picayune '' commented " that Blethyn 's performance is nuanced ... it 's that performance — at turns sweet , funny and heartbreaking — that ultimately draws viewers in and defies them to stop watching "
59th Berlin International Film Festival
59th Berlin International Film Festival
Brenda Blethyn