Fresh off winning the Fipresci Prize for Emerging Filmmakers at Toronto, Lucía Aleñar Iglesias’ “Forastera” has been acquired for U.S. distribution by Grasshopper Film. The film has also been acquired for release in multiple other territories, including Spain by Madrid-based distributor Atalante, Sweden by Folkets Bio, and Japan by Starcat. “Forastera” will continue its festival run for the remainder of the year, including the Tallinn Black Nights Festival and a competition slot at the Stockholm Film Festival, with the theatrical rollout scheduled for 2026.
The drama explores a sensitive subject: how teenage Cata quietly steps into the role of family matriarch following the unexpected death of her grandmother during a sun-soaked summer holiday in Mallorca. Cleverly playing with taboo, Iglesias’s debut proves an insightful, captivating look into the darker corners of grief through the familiar lens of a coming-of-age narrative.
Grasshopper Film’s Ryan Krivoshey said it is “thrilled” to bring the film to U.S. audiences. “Lucía Aleñar Iglesias has crafted a luminous, deeply felt debut — a film that explores adolescence, loss, and the mysterious ways we remain connected across time, continents, and worlds. Told with striking visual precision and emotional grace, it heralds the arrival of an extraordinary new voice in contemporary cinema, and it’s exactly the kind of bold and visionary work we’re proud to champion.”
Virginie Devesa from sales agent Alpha Violet added that it is a “great joy” to start their relationship with Grasshopper Films with Iglesias’s debut. “I have always admired the editorial line of Grasshopper Film and am very proud to be part of it, thanks to ‘Forastera.’“
“We’re genuinely pleased to be releasing Forastera in Spain,” said Ramiro Ledo from Atalante. “Lucía Aleñar’s debut possesses a rare emotional precision — it explores personal dynamics with a sensitivity and maturity that are remarkable for a first film. Catalina’s character is exceptionally well drawn, and the subtle, fantastic elements — unanswered phone calls, a sense of an unseen presence, intuitive impulses — lend the film a distinctive, poetic identity. One of its most striking qualities is the way it shifts seamlessly from a child’s or adolescent’s perspective to an adult one, without any patronizing tone. You can feel the narrative deepen as the film unfolds. It’s a debut of uncommon charisma and emotional insight.”
Speaking with Variety following the acquisition, the Los Angeles-based Spanish filmmaker said the film spawned out of a fascination with “the eerie ways in which we keep our loved ones around for longer.” “Specifically, how we project our loved ones onto other people, places, or objects. There was also this optical illusion, a drawing of a young woman and an old woman, depending on how you looked at it, that I particularly liked.”
On the tonal balancing of the film, the director said she personally likes films that “don’t spoon-feed the audience with information, rather create space for interpretation and a conversation around the story.” “These characters are not simply good or bad,” she added. “They exist in the same gray areas we do. Once I realized that, it became about presenting the scenes as questions, and allowing the audience to be in dialogue with them.”
“I was interested in grief within a familial context because I find there is a lot of tension and taboos around the topic,” added Iglesias of her film’s particular look into loss. “There is no one way to feel, and no clear path to follow, so this creates a great deal of dissonance among family members who are grieving together. Moreover, I wanted to present a side of grief that was more playful, at times luminous, and that offered the possibility for personal growth.”
As for having the film be picked up for distribution, the director said she is “grateful” and considers a “huge privilege” to be sharing her first feature with the world, “given that it is such an unprecedented time for independent cinema at large.” “Traveling with the film and getting to celebrate with our team has been such a joy,” she added of her journey with “Forastera.” “It’s beautiful to watch how the film sits with different audiences, what questions come up, how they connect with the story.”
“Forastera” was produced by Ariadna Dot of Vilaüt Films, and Marta Cruañas of Presenta, Tono Folguera of Lastor Media, Bàrbara Ferrer and Cesc Mulet of La Perifèrica Produccions, from Spain; Olivier Guerpillon and Marta Reguera of Sweden’s Fox In The Snow; and Giovanni Pompili of Italy’s Kino Produzioni. Alpha Violet handles sales.
AloJapan.com