Falling for Figaro

Last updated

Falling for Figaro
Falling for Figaro poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by Ben Lewin
Written byBen Lewin
Allen Palmer
Produced byJudi Levine
Philip Wade
Starring
CinematographyNic Lawson
Edited byPeter Carrodus
Music by Cezary Skubiszewski
Production
companies
West End Films [1]
Such Much Films
Particular Crowd
Southern Light Films
5 Name Films [2]
Black Camel Pictures [3]
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 1 October 2021 (2021-10-01)(US)
  • 22 October 2021 (2021-10-22)(UK)
  • 14 July 2022 (2022-07-14)(Australia)
Running time
105 minutes
CountriesAustralia
United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$170,048 [4]

Falling for Figaro is a 2021 romantic comedy film written and directed by Ben Lewin, and starring Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald and Hugh Skinner.

Contents

The film was screened in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects film market in September 2020, [5] but did not have its official public premiere until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released in the United States on 1 October 2021, in the United Kingdom on 22 October 2021, and in Australia on 14 July 2022.

Plot

Millie, an American fund manager, realises one day that her life-long dream is to become an opera singer. Quitting her lucrative job and moving away from her boyfriend, she travels to the Scottish Highlands where she eventually becomes an opera singer following intense vocal training from former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop and fierce competition from other opera singers including Max, Meghan's other student.

Cast

Production and filming

Casting for Falling for Figaro began on 29 October 2019 with Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald in the lead roles. [7] On 13 December 2019, Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif and Rebecca Benson joined the team. [8]

Falling for Figaro was filmed in locations in the Scottish Highlands and Trossachs including Glencoe, Loch Lomond and two theatres in Glasgow. [9] The production of the film was funded by Screen Australia, Screen Scotland and Film Victoria [3] and took only two winter months to make (December–January). [10] The film's post production was in Melbourne, Australia, in February. [10]

The film includes music from many renowned operas, including The Barber of Seville , The Marriage of Figaro , Don Giovanni , Romeo and Juliet , La traviata [10] and Carmen . [7]

Release

Falling for Figaro was screened for industry professionals in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects section, but was not made available for viewing by the general public. [5] It was screened at several film festivals in 2021, including the Film by the Sea Film Festival in Vlissingen, Netherlands, the 2021 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, [11] the Berkshire International Film Festival [12] and the Sedona Film Festival. [13] The film also was screened in the Official Selection at the 2021 British Film Festival. [14]

WestEnd Films announced on 24 September 2020 that distribution rights for the film had been sold to several partners in various international markets. [15]

Falling for Figaro was released by various distributors almost all over the world. In Australia and New Zealand, the film is distributed by Umbrella Entertainment and Paramount Pictures. In Europe, film distribution rights were given to Twelve Oaks of Spain, Splendid in Benelux, Investacommerce in former Yugoslavian states, and Entertainment Film Distributors in the United Kingdom. [16]

The US distribution rights for the film were brought by IFC Films on 7 December 2020. [17] According to Arianna Bocco, the newly anointed president of IFC Films, the film is planned to be released in North America in 2021. [18]

On 9 December 2020, the deal was reached between UK and other distributors. In Japan the film is scheduled to be released via Happinet, while in South Korea, Entermode will become the distributor. The distributor for Taiwan will be Central Motion Picture Corporation, while people in the Middle East will enjoy it via Phoenicia Pictures. In Europe, Nos Lusomundo will be distributor for Portugal while in Poland it will be shown on various channels including Ale Kino+, Movie Channel, Canal+ Premium and Poland Group. Canadian distribution will be by Pacific Northwest Pictures (in theatres) and Cinesky (on airlines). [5]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 73% based on 26 critics, with an average rating of 6.5/10. [19] On Metacritic, Falling for Figaro has a rank of 51 out of 100 from six critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [20]

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Undemanding rom-com fans and, to a lesser degree, opera lovers, should take some mild pleasure in Falling for Figaro, although the humor isn't of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions". [2]

Guy Lodge of Variety called Falling for Figaro "A corny, cute-enough carpe diem comedy ...", [21] while Roxana Hadadi of RogerEbert.com said "The performances are what make Falling for Figaro an entertaining distraction, even as the film plays out exactly as you would expect". [22]

Other critics were less positive. Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote "It's hard to fall for Falling for Figaro". [6] Beatrice Loayza of The New York Times admitted that "it's refreshing to see a plus-size woman not only nab the promotion and the hunky guy, but throw it all away within the first 15 minutes. Unfortunately, my plaudits for Falling for Figaro mostly end there". [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joanna Lumley</span> British actress and former model (born 1946)

Dame Joanna Lamond Lumley is a British actress, presenter, former model, author, television producer, and activist. She has won two BAFTA TV Awards for her role as Patsy Stone in the BBC sitcom Absolutely Fabulous (1992–2012), and was nominated for the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the Broadway revival of La Bête. In 2013, she received the Special Recognition Award at the National Television Awards, and in 2017 she was honoured with the BAFTA Fellowship award.

Black Camel Pictures is a production company based in Glasgow and founded by Arabella Page Croft and Kieran Parker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stage 6 Films</span> American film producer

Stage 6 Films, Inc. is an American film production label of Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions that acquires and produces feature films that are low budget and that are being released direct-to-disc, on demand, or through streaming services. Some of their films are also being released theatrically. Once a film is finished, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions will decide if the film will be released theatrically or on a different platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Skinner</span> British actor

Hugh William Skinner is a British actor. He is best known for starring in sitcoms W1A (2014–2017) and The Windsors (2016–present), and his appearances in musical films Les Misérables (2012) and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shazad Latif</span> British actor (born 1988)

Shazad Latif is a British actor, who starred as Tariq Masood in the BBC TV series Spooks, Clem Fandango on Toast of London, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Penny Dreadful. In 2017, he was cast as Chief of Security Ash Tyler in the CBS All Access television series Star Trek: Discovery. He will portray Captain Nemo in the upcoming live-action series Nautilus.

William Adam MacDonald is a Canadian actor, writer, and director. He is known for portraying Josh MacIntosh on the CBC show Being Erica, Peter McGregor on Wild Roses, and Detective Steve Peck on Rookie Blue, and for his guest-starring roles in several other shows, including Murdoch Mysteries and Republic of Doyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Lewin</span> Australian filmmaker (born 1946)

Ben Lewin is an Australian director.

<i>The Man Who Knew Infinity</i> 2015 British film

The Man Who Knew Infinity is a 2015 British biographical drama film about the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, based on the 1991 book of the same name by Robert Kanigel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Macdonald</span> Australian actress (born 1991)

Danielle Louise Macdonald is an Australian actress, known for her lead roles as Patricia "Patti" Dombrowski in the drama film Patti Cake$ (2017), and Willowdean Dickson in Dumplin' (2018). She is also known for her roles in the post-apocalyptic thriller film Bird Box as Olympia, the film Skin (2018) as Julie, the Netflix series Unbelievable as Amber, and the BBC One/Stan/HBO Max thriller series The Tourist as Helen.

<i>Finding Your Feet</i> 2017 British film by Richard Loncraine

Finding Your Feet is a 2017 British romantic comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Nick Moorcroft and Meg Leonard. The film stars Imelda Staunton, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie, Joanna Lumley and David Hayman, and was released on 23 February 2018 in the United Kingdom.

<i>Profile</i> (2018 film) 2018 film

Profile is a 2018 screenlife thriller film directed by Timur Bekmambetov, from a screenplay by Bekmambetov, Britt Poulton, and Olga Kharina, based upon the non-fiction book In The Skin of a Jihadist by Anna Erelle. It stars Valene Kane, Shazad Latif, Christine Adams, Amir Rahimzadeh and Morgan Watkins.

<i>French Exit</i> (2020 film) 2020 film by Azazel Jacobs

French Exit is a 2020 black comedy-drama film directed by Azazel Jacobs, based on the novel of the same name by Patrick deWitt, who also wrote the screenplay. It tells the story of a Manhattan heiress who moves to Paris with her son with the little money they have left.

<i>I Am Woman</i> (film) 2019 biopic about Helen Reddy

I Am Woman is a 2019 Australian biographical film about singer Helen Reddy, directed and produced by Unjoo Moon, from a screenplay by Emma Jensen. Tilda Cobham-Hervey stars as Reddy alongside Evan Peters, as her manager husband Jeff Wald, and Danielle Macdonald as rock writer Lilian Roxon.

<i>Shiva Baby</i> 2020 film by Emma Seligman

Shiva Baby is a 2020 American comedy film written and directed by Emma Seligman, in her feature directorial debut. The film stars Rachel Sennott as Danielle, a directionless young bisexual Jewish woman who attends a shiva with her parents, Joel and Debbie. Other attendees include her successful ex-girlfriend Maya, and her sugar daddy Max with his wife Kim and their screaming baby. It also features Jackie Hoffman, Deborah Offner, Rita Gardner and Sondra James in supporting roles.

<i>My Best Part</i> 2020 film

My Best Part is a 2020 French comedy-drama film, directed by Nicolas Maury. The film stars Maury as Jérémie, an actor who moves back home to live with his mother Bernadette after setbacks in his career and his romantic life with his boyfriend Albert.

<i>Whats Love Got to Do with It?</i> (2022 film) Film by Shekhar Kapur

What's Love Got to Do with It? is a 2022 British romantic comedy film directed by Shekhar Kapur, from a screenplay by Jemima Khan. The film stars Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Emma Thompson, Sajal Ali, Oliver Chris, Asim Chaudhry, Jeff Mirza, Alice Orr-Ewing and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan.

<i>Rogue Agent</i> (film) 2022 British film by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn

Rogue Agent is a 2022 British biographical mystery drama thriller film directed by Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn in their feature length debut, from a screenplay the pair co-wrote with Michael Bronner based on the unpublished article "Chasing Agent Freegard" by Michael Bronner. James Norton portrays Robert Hendy-Freegard, a conman who tricked and convinced several people that he was an MI5 agent. Gemma Arterton also stars as the person who brought him down, with additional cast members including Shazad Latif, Marisa Abela, Edwina Findley and Julian Barratt.

<i>Ellie & Abbie (& Ellies Dead Aunt)</i> 2020 Australian LGBT romance comedy film written and directed by Monica Zanetti

Ellie & Abbie is a 2020 AACTA award winning LGBT romance comedy film written and directed by Monica Zanetti, in her feature directorial debut. It is based on her own 2016 stage play. The film stars Sophie Hawkshaw, Zoe Terakes, Marta Dusseldorp, Rachel House, Julia Billington and Bridie Connell. The movie had its world premiere at the Mardi Gras Film Festival on 13 February 2020, becoming the first Australian film to do so in the festival's 27-year history. It also won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at the festival. The film went on to screenings at several other film festivals, and had a limited theatrical release on 19 November 2020.

Nautilus is an upcoming British ten-episode adventure drama television series created by James Dormer. It is a reimagining of Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, presenting an origin story for Captain Nemo, an Indian prince-turned-crusading scientist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Levelfilm</span> Canadian Film Distribution Company

Levelfilm, stylized as levelFILM, is a Canadian film distribution company based in Toronto, Ontario. The company was founded by David Hudakoc and Michael Baker in 2013, and later acquired two other Canadian distribution houses: Search Engine Films in 2018 and KinoSmith in 2021. It has released more than 200 titles, with a focus on independent Canadian films.

References

  1. ↑ "Falling for Figaro" . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 Scheck, Frank (30 September 2021). "Falling for Figaro: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Falling for Figaro Picked for TIFF Industry Selects". Black Camel Pictures. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "Falling for Figaro (2021)". The Numbers . Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Rosser, Michael (9 December 2020). "TIFF Industry Selects title Falling for Figaro seals international deals (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Goldstein, Gary (29 September 2021). "Falling for Figaro fails to hit the high (or even so-so) notes" . Los Angeles Times (film review). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. 1 2 Grater, Tom (29 October 2019). "Patti Cake$ Star Danielle Macdonald, Joanna Lumley Board Opera Rom-Com Falling For Figaro – AF". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  8. ↑ MacNab, Geoffrey (13 December 2019). "Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif, Rebecca Benson board UK comedy Falling For Figaro". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  9. ↑ Ferguson, Brian (5 January 2020). "Filming underway in Scottish Highlands for new romantic comedy starring Joanna Lumley". The Scotsman . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Groves, Don (7 September 2020). "Rom-com Falling for Figaro to screen at TIFF Industry Selects". IF Magazine .
  11. ↑ Ulrichsen, Heidi (26 August 2021). "Cinéfest still presenting hybrid festival for 2021, but trying to restore some normalcy". Sudbury.com. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Falling for Figaro". Berkshire International Film Festival . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  13. ↑ "Flagstaff Premiere: Falling for Figaro". Sedona International Film Festival. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "Falling for Figaro". British Film Festival. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (24 September 2020). "WestEnd Sells Joanna Lumley's Falling for Figaro into U.K., China, Australia". Variety .
  16. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (24 September 2020). "Rom-Com Falling for Figaro, with Joanna Lumley & Danielle Macdonald, Sells to UK, Spain, Aus/NZ, China, More". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  17. ↑ Lang, Brent (7 December 2020). "IFC Films Buys Falling for Figaro, Rom-Com with Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald". Variety .
  18. ↑ Kay, Jeremy (7 December 2020). "Joanna Lumley comedy Falling for Figaro lands at IFC Films". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  19. ↑ "Falling for Figaro". Rotten Tomatoes (aggregate review). Fandango Media . Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  20. ↑ "Falling for Figaro". Metacritic (aggregate review). Red Ventures . Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  21. ↑ Lodge, Guy (3 October 2021). "Falling for Figaro review: A fine ensemble sings the high notes in a corny, amiable opera comedy". Variety (film review).
  22. ↑ Hadadi, Roxana (1 October 2021). "Falling for Figaro". RogerEbert.com (film review). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  23. ↑ Loayza, Beatrice (30 September 2021). "Falling for Figaro review: When the overtures are operatic". The New York Times (film review). Retrieved 27 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.