Lucky Number Shares First Look at Daughter of Eden
The London-set psychological thriller stars Hiam Abbass and marks the debut feature of director Fateme Ahmadi.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Film — General
Sales company Lucky Number has released a first image of Hiam Abbass from Daughter of Eden, a London-set psychological thriller. The film will be launched for sales at the American Film Market, where a first promo-reel will also be screened.
Why it matters
The film is the debut feature of Iranian British director Fateme Ahmadi, whose earlier shorts include Bitter Sea, which was BIFA nominated, and Leila's Blues, which screened at Cannes Directors' Fortnight. Its early sales push signals the film's positioning for international buyers.
The film's financing comes from the BFI and BBC Film, in association with Screen Ireland, Civic Studios and Three Point Capital. No release date or distribution partner has been disclosed.
The players
Lucky Number
Paris-based sales company founded in 2024 by Olivier Barbier, Ola Byszuk and Lenny Porte, handling international sales for Daughter of Eden.
Hiam Abbass
Palestinian-born actress known for her work in international cinema, cast as the central figure in Daughter of Eden.
Fateme Ahmadi
Iranian British filmmaker making her feature debut with Daughter of Eden, previously known for the shorts Bitter Sea and Leila's Blues.
The details
Daughter of Eden follows a London-set story in which Hiam Abbass plays a woman suspected of past connections with the Saddam Hussein regime, alongside Yasmin Al-Khudhairi as a British Iraqi nurse, Amir El-Masry and Lindsay Duncan. The film is produced by Jack Tarling of Shudder Films and Pietro Greppi of Lunapark Pictures, in co-production with Jackie Larkin of Newgrange Pictures.
Timeline
2024: Lucky Number is launched by Olivier Barbier, Ola Byszuk and Lenny Porte.
2026: Lucky Number's slate features multiple festival titles this year.
AFM: Lucky Number launches sales on the film and screens its promo-reel.
Industry Dynamics
Ahmadi's path from shorts screened at Cannes Directors' Fortnight and the BIFA-nominated Bitter Sea to a British-financed feature reflects a pattern in which short-film festival success leads to feature financing from public broadcasters and funds. Sales companies such as Lucky Number, launched in 2024, now often secure international distribution through AFM launches before a film's release.
Daughter of Eden has no announced release date or platform yet, so audiences cannot currently see it. Sales launches at the AFM typically precede distribution deals that determine where and when international viewers can watch a film.
The takeaway
Early sales-market activity like this AFM launch is often the first signal of which international distributors will eventually bring a debut film to audiences. Watch for buyer announcements to gauge when Daughter of Eden may become widely available.
Further reading
Explore more film general news to follow the latest international feature releases and sales launches.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Deadline.
