In July 2010 Never Let Me Go was screened to film critics, who gave it generally positive reviews, with The Daily Telegraph calling the film's three leads "brilliant".[34] Never Let Me Go premièred at the 37th annual Telluride Film Festival, presented by the National Film Preserve. The festival began on 3 September 2010, running through Labor Day in the remote Colorado town.[35] The Hollywood Reporter observed that the audience "seemed to respond positively to the film's look at what makes us human and what defines a soul."[36] The film was in the 35th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) line-up during September 2010, with 300 other films.[37] Never Let Me Go was originally expected to have its world premiere at the 2010 Venice Film Festival in September, but Fox replaced it with Black Swan. They favored the TIFF over Venice,[38] but eventually settled on the Telluride Film Festival.
In the same month, the film was screened during the 2010 Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas.[39] Never Let Me Go opened the 54th London Film Festival on 13 October 2010, the same day as its European release date.[40] Never Let Me Go was the second film based on an Ishiguro novel to open the festival, after Merchant Ivory–Ismail Merchant's The Remains of the Day in 1993. Regarding the film's screening at the London Film Festival, Ishiguro said, "It is a fantastic privilege, I feel very lucky. To some extent it is a showcase for British talent and it's a tremendous honour".[41] Describing Never Let Me Go as "accomplished and imaginative", Sandra Helborn, the London Film Festival Artistic Director, added that "It combines impeccable film making, outstanding performances and a deeply moving story, and I couldn't wish for a stronger or more appropriate opening night".[41] That same month it was also screened in competition at Japan's Tokyo International Film Festival.[42] Six screenings of the film were held in the Little Theatre at Western Michigan University between 17–19 December 2010.[43]
Never Let Me Go was scheduled for a limited release for select cities in the United States on 1 October 2010,[44] but the date was later moved up to 15 September.[45] The film was released in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2011, and in France on 9 February 2011.[46] To promote the film, Mulligan appeared at movie screenings, including at the Landmark Theatres and AMC Loews Lincoln Square.[47] After the Telluride Film Festival, the Los Angeles Times called the film an "Oscar wild card". He believed its reviews were "likely to be split between those who consider the film a bleak masterpiece and others who find it straining so mightily for aesthetic perfection that it fails to provide a gripping narrative."[48] The Globe and Mail called Never Let Me Go one of 2010's "big noise" films.[49] In the United States, Never Let Me Go was released on DVD on 1 February 2011.[50] By 6 February, it had sold 44,911 units (amounting to US$628,305 in consumer revenue) and was the 17th-best-selling DVD for that week. The DVD and Blu-ray sales revenue stands at US$3,794,951.[51]
