Daniela Forever is a 2024 science fiction romantic drama film written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo. Its plot follows a young man (Henry Golding) reviving his lost love (Beatrice Grannò) through lucid dreams, with unintended consequences.

The film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. It is set to be released in Spanish theatres by Filmax on 21 February 2025.

Plot

The plot is set in Madrid.[2] Uneasily coping with the tragic loss of his significant other Daniela, Nicolas joins a clinical trial delivering a reconstruction of Daniela by means of lucid dreams.[3]

Cast

Production

The film is a Spanish-Belgian co-production by Sayaka Producciones, Wrong Men, Señor y Señora, and Mediacrest Entertainment[6] with funding from ICAA, Wallimage, Filmin, and Movistar Plus+.[3][7] XYZ Films handled sales.[8] In February 2023, the project was revealed, with Nacho Vigalondo as director and Henry Golding as a lead actor.[9] Vigalondo then stated that he hoped the story delivered "everything I want to say about love, dreams and Madrid".[3][10] Later in April 2023, Beatrice Grannò was reported to have joined the cast as a co-star.[7] In July 2023, Rubén Ochandiano was reported to be part of the film, with Ochandiano likewise reporting Aura Garrido and Nathalie Poza as fellow cast members.[11] Filming took place in Madrid.[12]

Release

Vigalondo, Grannò, and Golding attending the presentation of the film at the 2024 TIFF

Selected as the opening film of the Platform Prize competition of the 49th Toronto International Film Festival,[2] the film premiered on 6 September 2024.[13] It also made it to the slate of the 2024 Fantastic Fest (for its US premiere) and to the official selection of the 57th Sitges Film Festival (for its European premiere).[14][15]

Distributed by Filmax,[7] the film was scheduled to be released theatrically in Spain on 28 February 2025.[16] The theatrical release date was subsequently moved forward one week to 21 February 2025.[17]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 79% of 19 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10.[18]

Jourdain Searles of IndieWire gave the film a 'B' rating, writing that "there's something to be said about a love story that isn't afraid to admit that one of the lovers isn't the charming dreamboat he appears to be".[5]

Chase Hutchinson of TheWrap wrote that the film "is afraid to ever dream big, leaving nothing more than a banal nightmare".[19]

Olivia Popp of Cineuropa judged that it is much more rewarding "to read the feature less as a sci-fi/romance blend than a journey of sci-fi existentialism that interrogates the nature of desire, attachment and loneliness.".[20]

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 75 points ('good'), writing that Vigalondo tells a story "in which art, dream and mourning come together in a visually dazzling way, even if there are twists and turns that shake the narrative".[21]

Fausto Fernández of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, declaring it "a wonderful act of love, selfish, manipulative but ultimately full of sincerity and sacrifice".[22]

Rubén Romero Santos of Cinemanía rated the film 4½ out of 5 stars, deeming it to be "a critique of escapism" and "a vindication of the stoic sense of life".[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Daniela Forever". Filmax. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (23 July 2024). "Nacho Vigalondo's Sci-Fi Romance 'Daniela Forever' to Open Toronto Film Fest Platform Competition". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 23 July 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e Wiseman, Andreas (9 April 2024). "'Daniela Forever': First Look Images Of Henry Golding & 'The White Lotus' Actress Beatrice Grannò In Nacho Vigalondo's Sci-Fi Romance". Deadline Hollywood.
  4. ^ a b c d Úbeda-Portugués, Alberto (17 February 2025). "Los estrenos del 21 de febrero. 'Daniela Forever'. Vivir los sueños". Aisge.
  5. ^ a b c Searles, Jordain (9 September 2024). "'Daniela Forever' Review: Henry Golding Retreats to His Dreams in Sci-Fi Romantic Drama". IndieWire.
  6. ^ "Daniela Forever". Filmax. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Wiseman, Andreas (27 April 2023). "'The White Lotus' Breakout Beatrice Grannò Joins Henry Golding In Sci-Fi Romance 'Daniela Forever'; Madrid Shoot To Start Next Month — Cannes Market". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  8. ^ Erbland, Kate (4 September 2024). "Henry Golding Wanted to Do Something Totally Different — Nacho Vigalondo's Sci-Fi Love Story Fit the Bill". IndieWire.
  9. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (8 February 2023). "Henry Golding To Star In Nacho Vigalondo's Madrid-Set Sci-Fi Romance 'Daniela Forever' — EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
  10. ^ Mantilla, Daniel (9 February 2023). "Nacho Vigalondo rodará en verano 'Daniela Forever', una película de ciencia ficción con Henry Golding". Kinótico.
  11. ^ Trasobares, Ana (15 July 2023). "Rubén Ochandiano: "Tengo debilidad por Woody Allen como buen neurótico e hipocondriaco que soy"". Esquire.
  12. ^ "Madrid Film Office impulsó el incremento de rodajes en la capital en 2023". Cinemanía. 17 January 2024 – via 20minutos.es.
  13. ^ ""Es muy parecido al pánico" dice Vigalondo ante el estreno en Toronto de 'Daniela Forever'". swissinfo.ch. 7 September 2024.
  14. ^ Grobar, Matt (15 August 2024). "Fantastic Fest Unveils 2024 Lineup Featuring 'Terrifier 3,' 'Apartment 7A,' 'Anora,' 'Never Let Go' & More". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Más de 50 títulos del mejor cine de género nacional, en la 57ª edición del Festival de Sitges". Audiovisual451. 5 September 2024. Archived from the original on 6 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  16. ^ Chico, Fran (9 October 2024). "La película de ciencia ficción que te recordará a '¡Olvídate de mí!' y 'Origen' es de un director español nominado al Oscar". Fotogramas.
  17. ^ "Se adelanta el estreno de 'Daniela Forever', la nueva película de ciencia ficción de Nacho Vigalondo, una historia de amor y sueños". Cine con Ñ. 22 January 2025.
  18. ^ "Daniela Forever". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 22 February 2025. Edit this at Wikidata
  19. ^ Hutchinson, Chase (6 September 2024). "'Daniela Forever' Review: Henry Golding Is Stranded in a Hollow Sci-Fi 'Inception' Riff". TheWrap.
  20. ^ Popp, Olivia (10 October 2024). "Review: Daniela Forever". Cineuropa.
  21. ^ Hernández Luján, Raquel (18 February 2025). "Crítica de Daniela Forever, la nueva experiencia sensorial que nos propone Nacho Vigalondo". HobbyConsolas.
  22. ^ Fernández, Fausto (21 February 2025). "Crítica de 'Daniela Forever', el regreso de Vigalondo: "Un maravilloso acto de amor egoísta, pero lleno de sinceridad y sacrificio"". Fotogramas.
  23. ^ Romero Santos, Rubén (21 February 2025). "Crítica de 'Daniela Forever': juicio al escapismo y reivindicación del sentido estoico de la vida". Cinemanía – via 20minutos.es.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniela_Forever
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