On Falling is a 2024 social realist drama film, written and directed by Laura Carreira and starring Joana Santos. A British-Portuguese co-production, the film is Carreira's debut feature.

Plot

Set in Scotland, the plot follows the plight of Portuguese immigrant and warehouse worker Aurora, trapped in a life governed by wage slavery and social isolation and its repercussions, leading to her emotional breakdown.[1][2][3]

Production

The film is a British-Portuguese co-production by Sixteen Films and Bro Cinema, and it had support from BFI, BBC Film, Screen Scotland and ICA [pt].[2][4]

Release

On Falling world premiered in the 'Discovery' programme of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[2] It was also presented at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival on 24 September 2024,[5] in competition for the Golden Shell. Carreira took the award for Best Director (ex-aequo) at the festival. It also made it to the 'First Feature Competition' of the 2024 BFI London Film Festival.[6] where it was awarded the Sutherland prize for 'Best First Feature’.

Conic acquired UK and Ireland distribution rights,[7] and released it theatrically on 7 March 2025.[8] It also landed a distributor in the Benelux (Vedette), former Yugoslavia (MCF), Greece (Cinobo), Middle East (Teleview), Spain (Vértigo), and Switzerland (Frenetic).[7]

Reception

Critical response

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a very impressive debut".[9]

Matthew Joseph Jenner of International Cinephile Society rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, writing that it "conveys a very clear message and delivers it with genuine affection and attention to detail, which is important for a story that carries such resonance".[10]

Fionnuala Halligan of ScreenDaily pointed out how the film grows to become "an intense, enveloping experience".[11]

Sophie Monks Kaufman of IndieWire gave the film an 'A-' rating, deeming it to be "far better than anything living-political-legend Loach made during the final innings of his career".[3]

David Katz of Cineuropa declared the film a "laudably a protest film clamouring for a better way of life, but it still evokes a story's first act mistaken for a whole feature".[2]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
San Sebastián International Film Festival 28 September 2024 Golden Shell On Falling Nominated [12][13][14]
RTVE-Another Look Award – Special Mention Won
Silver Shell for Best Director Laura Carreira Won
BFI London Film Festival 20 October 2024 Sutherland Award for Best First Feature On Falling Won [15][16]

See also

References

  1. ^ Ntim, Zac (5 September 2024). "Laura Carreira & Jack Thomas-O'Brien On The Strong Collaboration Behind Their Political TIFF Debut 'On Falling'". Deadline Hollywood.
  2. ^ a b c d Katz, David (11 September 2024). "Review: On Falling". Cineuropa.
  3. ^ a b Kaufman, Sophie Monks (6 September 2024). "'On Falling' Review: A Quietly Devastating Debut Introduces an Emotionally Sophisticated New Master of Social Realism". IndieWire.
  4. ^ Tabbara, Mona (14 February 2024). "Goodfellas adds Laura Carreira's 'On Falling' To EFM line-up (exclusive)". ScreenDaily.
  5. ^ "La directora portuguesa Laura Carreira presenta 'On Falling': "¿Cuál es el coste de vivir de esta manera?"". Europa Press. 24 September 2024.
  6. ^ Szalai, Georg (4 September 2024). "London Film Fest Unveils Full Program, Including Doc and First Feature Competition Lineups, Series". The Hollywood Reporter.
  7. ^ a b Dalton, Ben (17 October 2024). "Laura Carreira's 'On Falling' sells to key territories including UK-Ireland (exclusive)". ScreenDaily.
  8. ^ Billington, Alex (17 February 2025). "New Trailer for 'On Falling' Film - About Loneliness in the Gig Economy | FirstShowing.net". www.firstshowing.net. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
  9. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (24 September 2024). "On Falling review – the strip mining of an online warehouse worker's sanity". The Guardian.
  10. ^ "Toronto 2024 review: On Falling (Laura Carreira)". International Cinephile Society. 9 September 2024.
  11. ^ Halligan, Fionnuala (23 September 2024). "'On Falling': San Sebastian Review". ScreenDaily.
  12. ^ Lodge, Guy (28 September 2024). "San Sebastián Film Festival Award Winners (Updating Live)". Variety.
  13. ^ Taylor, Nick. "San Sebastián Announces Their Competition Slate!". The Film Experience. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  14. ^ "Todos los ganadores del Festival de San Sebastián 2024". Escribiendo Cine. 28 September 2024.
  15. ^ Bakare, Lanre (20 October 2024). "'Emotionally resonant' animation wins top prize at London film festival". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  16. ^ Ntim, Zac (29 August 2024). "London Film Festival: Dea Kulumbegashvili's 'April' And Barry Keoghan Pic 'Bring Them Down' To Play In Competition". Deadline. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Falling
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