| Forastera | |
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 Promotional poster | |
| Directed by | Lucía Aleñar Iglesias |
| Written by | Lucía Aleñar Iglesias |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Agnès Piqué |
| Edited by | Paola Freddi |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Forastera is a 2025 drama film written and directed by Lucía Aleñar expanding on Aleñar's eponymous short film. It stars Zoe Stein and Lluís Homar. It is shot in Catalan.
Plot
editAs sisters Cata and Eva are having a vacation with their grandparents in Mallorca, they are hit by the death of grandmother Catalina. Upon trying on one of Catalina's old dresses, Cata steps into her grandmother's vacant role, causing family resentments and subsequent healing to come to surface.[1]
Cast
edit- Zoe Stein as Cata[2]
- Martina García as Eva[2]
- Marta Angelat as Catalina[2]
- Lluís Homar as Tomeu[2]
- Núria Prims as Pepa[1]
- Nonni Ardal[3]
Production
editThe film is a Spanish-Swedish-Italian co-production by Lastor Media, Vilaüt Films, Presenta, La Perifèrica Produccions, Kino Produzioni and Fox in the Snow, with the participation of 3Cat, RTVE, IB3, Filmin and the backing from ICAA, ICEC, Creative Europe MEDIA, Direzione generale Cinema e audiovisivo, the Swedish Film Institute, Fundació Mallorca Turisme, Mallorca Film Commission, Artekino, and Göteborgs Stad.[3] It was shot in Catalan in locations of the island of Mallorca, including Alcúdia and Pollença.[4]
Release
edit
The film premiered in the Discovery section of the 50th Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2025.[2][5] Alpha Violet handled international sales.[2] Filmin secured rights to a streaming window.[6] For its Spanish premiere, the film made it to the 'Meeting Point' slate of the 70th Valladolid International Film Festival (Seminci).[7] Its festival run also included selections for screenings at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and the 2025 Stockholm International Film Festival.[8]
Distribution deals were closed for the markets of Spain (Atalante), Sweden (Folkets Bio), Japan (Starcat), and the United States (Grasshopper Film).[8]
The film is scheduled to be released theatrically in Spain on 4 September 2026.[9]
Reception
editCarlos Aguilar of RogerEbert.com gave the film a 4-star rating, declaring it "a major discovery, handling grief with alluring stylistic choices that enhance the already remarkable narrative".[10]
Natalia Winkelman of The New York Times hailed Forastera as "an exquisitely deconstructed ghost story, a muted mystery that beguiles while remaining deeply grounded in its evocative setting".[11]
Accolades
edit
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025 |
2025 Toronto International Film Festival | FIPRESCI Prize | Won | [12] | |
| 70th Valladolid International Film Festival | 'Pilar Miró' Prize for Best Spanish Director | Lucía Aleñar | Won | [13] | |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Cadavid, Diana. "Forastera". tiff.net. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Roxborough, Scott (4 September 2025). "Toronto: 'Forastera' Explores Family Trauma on a Vacation Hit by Tragedy (Exclusive Trailer)". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ a b "'Forastera', ópera prima de Lucía Aleñar Iglesias, tendrá su estreno mundial en la sección Discovery del Festival de Toronto 2025". Audiovisual451. 24 July 2025.
- ^ Rivera, Alfonso (19 April 2024). "Lucía Aleñar shooting her feature debut, Forastera". Cineuropa.
- ^ "Las españolas Lucía Aleñar y Zoe Stein estrenan en el Festival de Toronto 'Forastera'". La Razón. 9 September 2019.
- ^ "Filmin presentó cuatro nuevas producciones originales". Camera and Light Mag. 3 June 2025.
- ^ "La Seminci presumirá de cine español con el estreno de 10 largos y una serie de televisión". Diario de Valladolid. 16 September 2025.
- ^ a b Sales Ross, Rafa (23 October 2025). "Lucía Aleñar Iglesias' Award-Winning 'Forastera' Acquired for U.S. by Grasshopper Film, Lands Spanish, Japanese and Swedish Distribution (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
- ^ "El cine español que se estrenará en 2026". Audiovisual451 (in European Spanish). 2 January 2026. Retrieved 5 June 2026.
- ^ Aguilar, Carlos (29 May 2026). "Forastera". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
- ^ Winkelman, Natalia (28 May 2026). "'Forastera' Review: An Exquisitely Deconstructed Ghost Story". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
- ^ Erbland, Kate (14 September 2025). "The Toronto International Film Festival 2025 Awards Are Being Announced Now (Updating)". IndieWire.
- ^ De Pablos, Emiliano (3 November 2025). "Valladolid's 70th Seminci Crowns Kelly Reichardt's 'The Mastermind' and Lav Díaz's 'Magellan'". Variety.
