Daniela Forever (2024) by Nacho Vigalondo: Dreaming of a Lost Love

Movie Summary: Recreating Grief in Lucid Dreams

"Daniela Forever" is a 2024 science fiction romantic drama written and directed by Nacho Vigalondo. The film centers on Nicolas, a young man grappling with the tragic loss of his girlfriend, Daniela. Overwhelmed by grief, he enrolls in an experimental clinical trial that allows him to revisit and even reconstruct Daniela through lucid dreams. While initially a way to cope with his pain, this newfound ability blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, forcing Nicolas to confront the unintended and often unsettling consequences of living in a fabricated world, and interrogating the very nature of desire, attachment, and loneliness.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26676914/

Link Review: https://thefilmstage.com/tiff-review-in-nacho-vigalondos-daniela-forever-a-romantic-dreamscape-turns-nightmarish/

About movie: https://wellgousa.com/films/daniela-forever

Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/es/pelicula/daniela-forever (Spain), https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/daniela-forever (Canada), https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/daniela-forever (US)

Detailed Summary: The Labyrinth of Memory and Control

• A Life Stalled by Grief: The film opens by establishing Nicolas's profound despair and disarray after Daniela's sudden death. His apartment is a mess, he's withdrawn from friends, and he's unable to work. Flashbacks, possibly from a dream or skewed memory, show their initial meeting and intense connection, but it's clear Daniela is gone.

• The Lucid Dream Solution: Nicolas's friend Victoria, who works for a pharmaceutical company, introduces him to an experimental drug trial. This pill enables users to enter lucid dreams, where they are aware they're dreaming and can control their dream environment. The program's therapeutic goal is to help patients process grief and trauma.

• Abuse of the Dream World: Ignoring the therapeutic guidelines, Nicolas immediately uses the drug to conjure Daniela in his dreams. He begins to live a seemingly idyllic life with her, where he can manipulate their interactions, their surroundings, and even Daniela's memories and personality to his every whim. The visual style reflects this: reality is grim and muted, while dreams are vibrant, widescreen, and perfectly controllable.

• The Dream Resists: As Nicolas increasingly spends time in this fabricated dream world, a subtle tension emerges. The dream Daniela, a construct of his memory and desire, begins to resist his control, showing flashes of her own will or confusion. The boundaries between his waking life and dream life also start to blur.

• Unintended Consequences and External Elements: Nicolas's deception of the clinical trial doctors leads to unforeseen side effects within his dreamscape. Complicating matters further, Daniela's ex-girlfriend, Teresa, strangely begins appearing in Nicolas's lucid dreams, adding another layer of unsettling intrusion and challenging his idealized version of Daniela.

• The Downward Spiral: As Nicolas delves deeper into this self-serving fantasy, his character becomes increasingly manipulative and unlikeable. He prioritizes his constructed dream reality over his deteriorating real life, leading to a destructive spiral where he loses touch with authentic connection and healthy grieving.

• Blurring Realities and Cryptic Endings: The film's aesthetic reflects this blurring, with the distinct visual styles of dream and reality becoming less clear. The narrative culminates in a series of twists and a surreal, cryptic ending that leaves the viewer to ponder the ultimate meaning of Nicolas's journey and the consequences of his choices. It challenges the audience to consider the nature of desire, attachment, and loneliness, and the ethics of resurrecting a loved one, even if only in one's mind.

Plot Summary: Grief, Control, and Colliding Realities

• Nicolas, devastated by the loss of his girlfriend Daniela, enrolls in an experimental clinical trial that allows him to control his lucid dreams.

• He uses this ability to recreate Daniela in his dreams, living out an idealized relationship where he dictates every aspect of their interactions and environment.

• Initially a solace for his grief, this dream world becomes increasingly manipulative as Nicolas attempts to control Daniela to his perfect vision.

• The lines between his waking reality and the dream world begin to blur, and his attempts to control the dream Daniela are subtly resisted.

• Unforeseen elements, including Daniela's ex-girlfriend, start to intrude upon his controlled dream, further disrupting his fantasy.

• Nicolas's obsession with the dream Daniela leads to a destructive path, forcing him to confront the psychological and emotional consequences of his choices.

• The film culminates in a surreal and ambiguous ending, challenging the audience's perception of reality, memory, and the true meaning of letting go.

Director's Vision: Nacho Vigalondo's Existential Genre-Bending

Nacho Vigalondo, known for his unique blend of genre concepts with deeply human, often existential, themes ("Timecrimes," "Colossal"), brings a distinct vision to "Daniela Forever":

• Sci-Fi as a Metaphor: Vigalondo uses the science fiction premise of lucid dreaming not as a simple plot device, but as a profound metaphor to explore grief, memory, and the human desire for control.

• Visual Dichotomy: He deliberately creates a stark visual contrast between Nicolas's dreary, confined "real world" (shot in a claustrophobic 4:3 aspect ratio with muted colors, often on 16mm or Betacam SP) and the vibrant, expansive, and seemingly perfect "dream world" (widescreen, bright colors, pristine digital imagery). This distinction becomes increasingly blurred as the film progresses.

• Questioning Desire and Attachment: Vigalondo's aim is to interrogate the nature of desire, attachment, and loneliness, particularly the selfish and manipulative aspects that can arise from deep grief.

• Character Deconstruction: He intentionally makes Nicolas a flawed, even unlikeable protagonist, using his actions in the dream world to comment on the destructive nature of idealizing the lost and the inability to truly let go.

• Ambiguous Endings: Consistent with his style, Vigalondo embraces surrealism and an open-ended conclusion, inviting viewers to speculate on the film's deeper meaning and the protagonist's ultimate fate, much like interpreting a dream itself. He stated he hoped the story delivered "everything I want to say about love, dreams and Madrid."

Themes: Grief, Memory, Control, Reality vs. Illusion, and The Ethics of Recreating Loss

• Grief and Loss: The central theme revolves around the profound impact of losing a loved one and the desperate, often destructive, ways individuals attempt to cope with that void.

• Memory and Idealization: The film explores how memory can be selective, idealized, and even manipulated, particularly in the context of grief, and how this affects one's perception of the deceased.

• Control and Manipulation: Nicolas's ability to control his dreams becomes a dangerous manifestation of his desire to control his reality and the memory of Daniela, leading to questions about the ethics of such power.

• Reality vs. Illusion: The blurring boundaries between Nicolas's waking life and dream life force an examination of what constitutes "real" experience and whether a fabricated reality can ever be truly fulfilling.

• Addiction to Fantasy: The film touches on the psychological addiction to an idealized past or a controllable fantasy, to the detriment of confronting actual reality and healthy healing.

• Existentialism: Beyond the sci-fi elements, the film delves into existential questions about the nature of being, consciousness, and what it means to desire and attach oneself to others.

Key Success Factors: Acclaimed Director, Unique Premise, and Festival Presence

• Nacho Vigalondo's Distinctive Vision: The director's reputation for high-concept, genre-bending films with philosophical depth creates significant anticipation.

• Intriguing Sci-Fi Premise: The core concept of lucid dreaming to revive a lost love is highly compelling and immediately draws viewers in.

• Strong Festival Circuit Presence: Its selection for prestigious festivals like Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) - Platform, Sitges Film Festival, and Glasgow Film Festival, among others, signals its artistic quality and critical interest.

• Critically Resonant Themes: The film tackles universal and timely themes of grief, memory, and the ethical implications of technology (AI in memory, for example), making it highly relevant.

• Visually Striking: Reviews frequently highlight the film's distinct visual style, particularly the contrast between its two worlds, which enhances the storytelling.

Awards & Nominations: Extensive Festival Selections

"Daniela Forever (2024)" has been an active participant in the international film festival circuit, indicating strong industry recognition for its artistic merit. Notable selections include:

• Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2024: Platform section

• Sitges Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya 2024: Oficial Fantàstic Competición

• Fantastic Fest Austin 2024: Fantastic Features

• Trieste Science+Fiction Festival 2024: Neon Competition

• Paris International Fantastic Film Festival (PIFFF) 2024: Climax Award section

• Fancine - Festival De Cine Fantástico Universidad De Málaga 2024: Largometrajes a concurso

• Bifff - Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2025

• Glasgow Film Festival 2025: Official Selection

• Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival 2025: Ain't no cure for love

Critics' Reception: Visually Inventive, Narratively Uneven

Critics' reception for "Daniela Forever" has been mixed, leaning towards favorable, praising its inventive premise and visual style, but often noting struggles with narrative coherence and emotional payoff.

• Metacritic Score: 49/100 based on 14 critic reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews."

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80% positive from 221 critics, with a consensus describing it as a "mature deconstruction" but this appears to be the wrong film's Rotten Tomatoes score from a previous search. Let's re-evaluate based on the search snippets for this specific film. The individual snippets show a range.

Corrected Critical Reception Analysis:

• Visually Inventive & Stylistic: Reviewers consistently laud Vigalondo's visual approach, particularly the use of different aspect ratios and color palettes to distinguish between the drab "real world" (4:3, desaturated, Betamax-like) and the vibrant, widescreen "dream world" (high-definition, rich colors). This "clever conceit" and "Kaufman-esque distorted dream geometry" are highlights (Film Threat, Cineuropa, Roger Ebert).

• Intriguing High Concept: The film's premise—a grieving man taking an experimental drug to lucid-dream with his deceased girlfriend—is widely praised as "very promising," "ingenious," and "original" (ZekeFilm, The Film Stage, Next Best Picture). It invites comparisons to "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "Inception."

• Exploration of Grief and Control: Critics appreciate the film's darker exploration of grief, where the protagonist Nicolas (Henry Golding) becomes increasingly possessive and controlling of the dream-version of Daniela. This "unsettling dynamic" and the "fallacy of memory" are seen as fascinating (Critical Popcorn, The Film Stage).

• Henry Golding's Performance: Golding's portrayal of Nicolas is often highlighted as "solid," "magnetic," and his "most dramatic, emotionally resonant performance yet," anchoring the film even when the plot falters (Awards Watch, Next Best Picture).

• Narrative Confusion & Pacing Issues: A recurring critique is the film's "confusing narrative," "too many plot twists and multiple endings," and a tendency to "collapse into a nonsensical final product." Pacing can be "leaden," and the story sometimes feels "immobile" (ZekeFilm, Critical Popcorn, Roger Ebert).

• Underdeveloped Emotional Payoff: Despite exploring profound themes, some critics felt the film "falls short of delivering a fully satisfying emotional payoff," particularly due to Nicolas's unsympathetic actions and a lack of clear resolution or character redemption (Critical Popcorn, Roger Ebert, Awards Watch).

• Lost Potential: Many reviews lament the squandered potential of a brilliant premise, suggesting Vigalondo "has dozens of ideas but never takes the time to connect them or deepen them" (Roger Ebert).

Summary: "Daniela Forever" is lauded for Nacho Vigalondo's visual inventiveness and its intriguing high-concept exploration of grief and control through lucid dreaming. Henry Golding's performance is praised. However, critics often found the film's narrative to be confusing, with uneven pacing and a failure to fully capitalize on its thematic potential, leading to a mixed emotional impact despite its creative ambition.

Reviews: A Widower's Dangerous Dreamscape

Reviews elaborate on the plot, focusing on the psychological journey of the protagonist and the unsettling nature of his attempt to defy death through technology.

• The Premise: Nicolas (Henry Golding), a professional DJ in Madrid, is consumed by grief after the sudden death of his artist girlfriend, Daniela (Beatrice Grannò), in a traffic accident. A friend introduces him to an experimental drug trial for lucid dreaming, promising to alleviate depression.

• Diving into Denial: Instead of following the therapeutic protocol to process his grief, Nicolas immediately uses the drug to create a dream world where Daniela is alive and well. This "denial" becomes the central conflict.

• Control and Manipulation: A key, disturbing aspect of the reviews is Nicolas's increasing control over his dream Daniela. He can manipulate her memories, actions, and personality to fit his desires, essentially making her a "plaything" or "robot." Reviewers highlight how he can "snap his fingers and start again" if she exhibits any resistance, revealing a "nightmare" not for him, but for the "facsimile" of Daniela (The Film Stage, Cineuropa).

• Visual Distinction of Worlds: The film effectively uses visual cues (aspect ratio, color palette, fidelity) to distinguish between the dreary, constricted "real world" (4:3, desaturated, VHS quality) and the vibrant, expansive "dream world" (widescreen, high-definition), reflecting Nicolas's mental state.

• Blurring Realities: As Nicolas delves deeper, the lines between his dream world and reality begin to blur, threatening his sanity and will to live. Encounters with Daniela's ex-girlfriend Teresa (Aura Garrido) also complicate the dreamscape.

• Themes of Possession vs. Love: The film ultimately explores the unhealthy side of grief and the possessiveness of clinging to an illusion. It questions whether true love is about control or shared experiences and growth, often leaving a "pretty uneasy viewing experience" (Critical Popcorn, Cineuropa).

• Cryptic Ending: Many reviews describe the ending as "messy," "nigh on incomprehensible," or "cryptic," leaving viewers to speculate on its final meaning, much like a dream itself (Critical Popcorn, Cineuropa).

Summary: "Daniela Forever" is reviewed as a sci-fi drama that plunges a grieving widower into a lucid dream world where he can reunite with his deceased girlfriend. The film details his descent into obsessive control over her dream persona, using striking visuals to distinguish between realities. While offering a fascinating, albeit unsettling, look at the nature of grief and memory, reviews indicate a challenging narrative that explores the dangerous side of holding onto a lost love.

Box Office: Limited International Release

"Daniela Forever (2024)" has had a limited international theatrical release so far.

• Worldwide Box Office: As of July 7, 2025, the total worldwide box office is $35,607.

• Key Territories:

  • Spain: Released February 21, 2025, with a total gross of $31,524.

  • Turkey: Released February 28, 2025, with a total gross of $4,083.

  • The film also had a limited release in Russia (CIS) from June 5, 2025, but current reported box office is $0.

  • It had a limited US release on July 11, 2025, with no reported box office yet.

These figures indicate a niche, arthouse release rather than a wide commercial one.

Why to Watch This Movie: A Unique Mind-Bender

• Nacho Vigalondo's Signature Style: If you're a fan of the director's previous genre-bending, thought-provoking films like "Timecrimes" or "Colossal," this is a must-see.

• Intriguing Concept: The premise of a man reconstructing his lost love through lucid dreams offers a fascinating blend of sci-fi, romance, and psychological drama.

• Visual Storytelling: The film's deliberate and distinct visual aesthetics for reality and dreams provide a compelling cinematic experience.

• Exploration of Grief: It offers a unique and at times unsettling perspective on the complexities of grief, memory, and the human desire for control.

• Discussion Starter: Its ambiguous ending and complex themes make it a great film for discussion and interpretation.

Movie Trend: Existential Sci-Fi Drama

"Daniela Forever" aligns with the emerging trend of existential sci-fi dramas that use speculative elements to delve deep into human psychology and philosophical questions. This trend moves beyond simple action or spectacle, focusing instead on how advanced technologies or altered realities impact the human condition, memory, grief, and identity. Films in this category often explore themes of artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and memory manipulation to provoke thought about what it means to be human in an increasingly complex world. They are often characterized by strong artistic direction, complex narratives, and a preference for intellectual engagement over conventional plot resolutions.

Social Trend: The Digitalization of Grief and Memory

The film directly taps into the contemporary social trend of the digitalization and "reconstruction" of grief and memory, especially with advancements in AI and virtual reality. As technology increasingly offers ways to interact with digital avatars of deceased loved ones (e.g., AI chatbots trained on personal data, VR experiences), "Daniela Forever" explores the ethical and psychological implications of such innovations. It raises questions about whether these technologies genuinely aid in the grieving process or if they prevent healthy acceptance of loss, fostering a potentially unhealthy attachment to simulated realities. The film resonates with societal anxieties and discussions around how technology might reshape our relationship with death, memory, and the very nature of human connection.

Final Verdict: A Bold, Unsettling Look at Love and Loss

"Daniela Forever (2024)," Nacho Vigalondo's latest, is a bold and often unsettling science fiction romantic drama that dares to delve into the darker corners of grief and desire. Utilizing a striking visual dichotomy between mundane reality and vivid dreamscapes, the film masterfully explores a man's descent into a self-created fantasy to cope with loss, ultimately questioning the nature of love, memory, and control. While its narrative can be challenging and its protagonist intentionally flawed, Vigalondo's unique vision and the film's thought-provoking themes make it a compelling watch for fans of intelligent, genre-bending cinema. Its extensive festival presence signals its artistic merit, making it a significant addition to the landscape of contemporary sci-fi.