| On Falling | |
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 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 dates |
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Running time | 104 minutes[1] |
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On Falling is a 2024social 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.
Set inScotland, the plot follows the plight ofPortuguese immigrant and warehouse worker Aurora, trapped in a life governed by wage slavery and social isolation and its repercussions, leading to her emotional breakdown.[2][3][4]
The film is a British-Portuguese co-production by Sixteen Films and Bro Cinema, and it had support fromBFI,BBC Film,Screen Scotland andICA [pt].[3][5]
On Falling world premiered in the 'Discovery' programme of the2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[3] It was also presented at the72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival on 24 September 2024,[6] in competition for theGolden Shell. Carreira took the award for Best Director (ex-aequo) at the festival. It also made it to the 'First Feature Competition' of the2024 BFI London Film Festival.[7] where it was awarded the Sutherland prize for 'Best First Feature’.
Conic acquired UK and Ireland distribution rights,[8] and released it theatrically on 7 March 2025.[9] It also landed a distributor in the Benelux (Vedette), former Yugoslavia (MCF), Greece (Cinobo), Middle East (Teleview), Spain (Vértigo), and Switzerland (Frenetic).[8]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 94% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10.[10]
Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a very impressive debut".[11]
Matthew Joseph Jenner ofInternational 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".[12]
Fionnuala Halligan ofScreenDaily pointed out how the film grows to become "an intense, enveloping experience".[13]
Sophie Monks Kaufman ofIndieWire 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".[4]
David Katz ofCineuropa 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".[3]
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | 28 September 2024 | Golden Shell | On Falling | Nominated | [14][15][16] |
| 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 | [17][18] |