Fairyland (film)

Last updated
Fairyland
Directed byAndrew Durham
Screenplay byAndrew Durham
Based onFairyland: A Memoir of My Father
by Alysia Abbott
Produced by
  • Sofia Coppola
  • Andrew Durham
  • Megan Carlson
  • Siena Oberman
  • Greg Lauritano
  • Laure Sudreau
Starring
Cinematography Greta Zozula
Edited by
  • Peter Cabadahagan
  • Lawrence Klein
Music by Michael Penn
Production
company
Release date
  • January 20, 2023 (2023-01-20)(Sundance)
Running time
114 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • French

Fairyland is a 2023 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Andrew Durham in his feature directorial debut. It is based on Alysia Abbott's memoir Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father. The film stars Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy, Geena Davis, Cody Fern, Adam Lambert and Maria Bakalova.

Contents

Fairyland premiered on January 20, 2023 at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Premise

Arriving in San Francisco very little, just after the death of her mother in a car accident in 1973, Alysia Abbott is living with her father Steve Abbott, a poet and activist who comes out as gay. Steve’s bohemian lifestyle clashes with the expectations of being a parent from both the outside world and Alysia herself, who occasionally wishes for less of the independence her father gives her. Their bonds and duty to each other are tested in painful and sudden ways. Years later, she discovers a world of artists and writers, but also the AIDS crisis when people around her contract the virus to which her father also falls victim.

Cast

Production

In 2013, it was reported that American Zoetrope had successfully attained the screen rights for Alysia Abbott's memoir Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father, and that Sofia Coppola would adapt the book with Andrew Durham. Coppola would also originally produce the film with her brother Roman Coppola. [1] Durham later assumed the role of the film's sole writer and director while Coppola remained involved as a producer. [2]

In June 2022, it was announced that production had wrapped with Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy, Geena Davis, Adam Lambert, Cody Fern, Bella Murphy and Nessa Dougherty starring in an ensemble cast. [3] In August 2022, Maria Bakalova was also revealed to be appearing in the film. [4]

Release

It premiered on January 20, 2023 at the Sundance Film Festival. [5]

Reception

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 97% based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The critics consensus reads, "Drawing on one family's real-life experiences, the powerfully acted Fairyland pays poignant tribute to love and resilience in the face of adversity and tragedy." [6] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 68 out of 100, based on 9 reviews indicating "generally favorable reviews". [7]

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References

  1. ↑ McNairy, Dave (December 16, 2013). "Sofia Coppola Heading to 'Fairlyland'". Variety . Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  2. ↑ Greenwood, Douglas (August 12, 2022). "Sofia Coppola's next movie is an 80s AIDS drama". i-D . Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  3. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (June 6, 2022). "Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy Star in 'Fairyland' Adaptation for American Zoetrope". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  4. ↑ Grobar, Matt (August 11, 2022). "Maria Bakalova Joins Sofia Coppola's 'Fairyland', Jerry Seinfeld's 'Unfrosted'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on August 24, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  5. ↑ Erbland, Kate (December 7, 2022). "Sundance 2023 Lineup: New Films from Nicole Holofcener, Brandon Cronenberg, Jonathan Majors, & More". Indiewire . Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Fairyland". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Fairyland". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
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