| On Falling | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Laura Carreira |
| Written by | Laura Carreira |
| Produced by | Jack Thomas-O'Brien |
| Starring | Joana Santos |
| Cinematography | Karl Kürten |
| Edited by | Helle Le Fevre |
| Music by | Ines Adriana |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Conic (uk) |
Release date |
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| Countries |
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On Falling is a 2024 social drama film written and directed by Laura Carreira (in her directorial debut feature) starring Joana Santos.
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 in Glasgow, depicting her emotional breakdown. [1] [2] [3]
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 . [2] [4]
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-aquio) 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, aiming for an early 2025 theatrical release. [7] It also landed a distributor in the Benelux (Vedette), former Yugoslavia (MCF), Greece (Cinobo), Middle East (Teleview), Spain (Vértigo), and Switzerland (Frenetic). [7]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a very impressive debut". [8]
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". [9]
Fionnuala Halligan of ScreenDaily pointed out how the film grows to become "an intense, enveloping experience". [10]
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]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | 28 September 2024 | Golden Shell | On Falling | Nominated | [11] [12] [13] |
| 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 | [14] [15] |
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