Lucía Arenhal Iglesias’ Forastera, which just won Toronto’s Fiplessi Award for Emerging Filmmakers, has been acquired by Grasshopper Films for U.S. distribution. The film has also been acquired for release in several other territories, including Spain by Madrid-based distributor Atalanta, Sweden by Folkets Bio, and Japan by Starcat. “Fostera” will continue to operate festivals through the end of the year, including competition slots at the Tallinn Black Nights Festival and the Stockholm Film Festival, with a theatrical release scheduled for 2026.
The drama deals with the sensitive subject of how teenager Kata quietly steps into the role of family matriarch after her grandmother suddenly dies during a summer vacation in sunny Mallorca. Masterfully exploiting taboo, Iglesias’ debut novel proves an insightful and captivating look at the dark corners of grief through the familiar lens of a coming-of-age story.
Grasshopper Film’s Ryan Krivoshei said he was “thrilled” to bring the film to U.S. audiences. “Lucía Alenhal Iglesias has crafted a brilliant, deeply emotional debut film that explores adolescence, loss, and the mysterious ways in which we remain connected across time, continents, and the world. Told with stunning visual precision and emotional grace, this film heralds the arrival of an extraordinary new voice in contemporary cinema, and is exactly the kind of bold, visionary work we are proud to champion.”
Virginie Devesa of sales agent Alpha Violet added that it was a “great pleasure” to begin the relationship with Grasshopper Films with Iglesias’ debut. “I have always admired Grasshopper Films’ editorial line and am very proud to be a part of it with ‘Fostera.’”
Atalanta’s Ramiro Ledo said: “We are really happy to be able to release ‘Fostera’ in Spain.” “Lucia Alenhal’s debut film has a rare emotional precision. It explores personal dynamics with a sensitivity and maturity that is remarkable for a first film. The character of Catalina is exceptionally well-written, and subtle, fantastical elements such as an unanswered phone call, a sense of an invisible presence, and intuitive impulses give the film a unique and poetic identity. One of its most impressive qualities is the way it seamlessly transitions from film to film.” It depicts the perspective of children and teenagers on adults without a condescending tone; you can feel the story deepening as the film progresses. This is a debut film of extraordinary charisma and emotional insight.”
After the acquisition, the Los Angeles-based Spanish filmmaker said in an interview with Variety that the film was born out of a fascination with “spooky ways to keep your loved ones around longer.” “Specifically, it’s about how we project our loved ones onto other people, places, and objects. There were also optical illusions. There was a painting of a young woman and an old woman, depending on how you look at it, and I particularly liked that.”
Regarding the film’s tonal balance, the director said that he personally likes films that “center the story and create space for interpretation and conversation, rather than spoon-feeding information to the audience.” “These characters aren’t simply good or bad,” she added. “They exist in the same gray area as we do. Once we realized that, it became important for us to present the scenes as questions and allow the audience to interact with them.”
“I was interested in grief in a family context, because I found there was a lot of tension and taboo around this subject,” Iglesias added about her film specifically examining loss. “There’s more than one way to feel, and there’s no clear path to follow, which creates a lot of dissonance among families who grieve together. Additionally, I wanted to portray the side of grief as more upbeat, sometimes bright, and with the potential for personal growth.”
The director said he was “grateful” that the film had been picked up for distribution and considered it a “huge privilege” to be able to share his first feature with the world “given these unprecedented times for independent film as a whole.” “I was so happy to be able to travel with the film and celebrate with our team,” she added of her “Fostera” journey. “It’s beautiful to see how this film resonates with different audiences, what questions they raise, and how they connect to the story.”
“Forastera” was produced by Ariadna Dot of Spain’s Vilaüt Films, Marta Cruañas of Presenta, Tono Folguera of Lastor Media, and Bàrbara Ferrer and Cesc Mulet of La Periferica Productions. Olivier Gerpillon and Marta Reguera from Sweden’s Fox in the Snow. and Giovanni Pompili of Kino Produzioni in Italy. Alpha Violet will be in charge of sales.
