On Falling
2024 film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On Falling is a 2024 social 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.
- Jack Thomas-O'Brien
- Mário Patrocínio
| On Falling | |
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Film poster | |
| Directed by | Laura Carreira |
| Written by | Laura Carreira |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | Joana Santos |
| Cinematography | Karl Kürten |
| Edited by | Helle Le Fevre |
| Music by | Joshua Sabin |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Conic (uk) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 104 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Box office | $181,376[2] |
Plot
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 and its repercussions, leading to her emotional breakdown.
Production
Release
On Falling had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival as part of its Discovery programme.[3] It was presented at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival on 24 September 2024,[6] in competition for the Golden Shell; Carreira took the award for Best Director (ex-aequo) at the festival. It featured in the First Feature Competition of the 2024 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, which scheduled a 19 September 2025 theatrical release date), and Switzerland (Frenetic).[8][10]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 94% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10.[11]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "a very impressive debut".[12]
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".[13]
Fionnuala Halligan of ScreenDaily pointed out how the film grows to become "an intense, enveloping experience".[14]
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".[15]
David Katz of Cineuropa declared the film "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]
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Sebastián International Film Festival | 28 September 2024 | Golden Shell | On Falling | Nominated | [16][17][18] |
| 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 | [19][20] |
| BAFTA Scotland Awards | 16 November 2025 | Best Feature Film | Won | [21] | |
| Best Writer (Film/Television) | Laura Carreira | Won | |||
| British Independent Film Awards | 30 November 2025 | Best Director | Nominated | [22] | |
| Best Screenplay | Nominated | ||||
| Douglas Hickox Award (Best Debut Director) | Nominated | ||||
| Best Debut Screenwriter | Nominated | ||||
| European Film Awards | 17 January 2026 | European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI | On Falling | Won | [23] |
| Goya Awards | 28 February 2026 | Best European Film | Nominated | [24] | |