New Movies: Romeria (2025) by Carla Simón
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Romeria (2025) by Carla Simón: A Poetic Pilgrimage Through Family Secrets
Description:
"Romeria" is a poignant and introspective drama directed by the acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Carla Simón. Premiering in the main competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, the film follows Marina, an 18-year-old orphan, as she embarks on a journey to Galicia to uncover the buried truths of her biological parents, who died young from AIDS. Simón masterfully blends intimate realism with evocative, magical-realist flashbacks to explore themes of inherited memory, identity, and the profound human need to reconcile with an unspoken family past.
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32538648/
Link Review: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/477806/
About movie: https://mk2films.com/en/film/romeria/
Link to watch (professional screening): https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/romeria
Detailed Summary
Set in 2004, 18-year-old Marina (Llúcia Gárcia), an orphan adopted at a young age, travels from Barcelona to Vigo, on Galicia's Atlantic coast. Her ostensible reason is to get documents for film school, but her true quest is to connect with her paternal family and piece together the fragmented story of her parents, who succumbed to heroin use and AIDS in the 1980s. She finds her family largely unwilling to discuss this painful and stigmatized past. Marina uncovers lies about her father's death and his being hidden away by her grandparents during his illness. Her mother's diary becomes a crucial, guiding tool in her investigation.
The film takes an unexpected turn into magical realism, with Marina experiencing dreamlike flashbacks to her parents' youthful lives in the 1980s. These sequences, often featuring improbable choreographies set to Spanish punk, offer Marina (and the audience) an idealized, yet ultimately darkening, vision of their passionate and tragic love story, allowing her to imaginatively reconstruct their lives. Through her journey, she finds unexpected warmth and connection with her cousins, hinting at a potential for generational healing. While not all answers are clear-cut, Marina gains a deeper understanding of her origins and, significantly, begins to tell her own story through her burgeoning interest in filmmaking. The film subtly explores how families choose to remember or suppress their history, transforming Marina's journey into a spiritual pilgrimage to find her emotional roots.
Plot Summary
Marina's Quest:Â 18-year-old Marina, an orphan, travels to Galicia to understand her deceased biological parents and their past.
Family Secrets Unveiled:Â She navigates her paternal family's reluctance to discuss their painful history, discovering hidden truths about her parents' deaths from AIDS.
Mother's Diary:Â Her mother's journal serves as a fragmented guide to the past.
Magical Realism:Â Dreamlike flashbacks to her parents' 1980s youth allow Marina to imaginatively reconstruct their lives and love story.
New Connections:Â Marina forms bonds with her cousins, suggesting a path toward healing and understanding.
Self-Discovery Through Art:Â Her journey leads to a deeper understanding of her identity and sparks her own filmmaking aspirations.
Director's Vision
Carla Simón's vision for RomerÃa is deeply personal and introspective, building on her previous explorations of family, memory, and childhood. She aims for emotional honesty, shying away from melodrama and letting nuanced gestures and silences convey meaning. The incorporation of magical realism is a significant artistic evolution for Simón, allowing for a more lyrical and imaginative reconstruction of the past, acknowledging that memory is often subjective. Her intention is to create a "symbolic space of reunion" where unspoken stories and buried memories can be explored with compassion and a clear-eyed gaze, free from judgment or idealization.
Themes
Family and Kinship:Â The complex dynamics of extended families, their unspoken histories, and the desire for connection across generations.
Memory and the Past: How personal and collective memories are constructed, suppressed, or reinterpreted, exploring the "gaps" in family narratives. As Simón noted, "memory can be invented."
Loss and Grief:Â The enduring impact of premature death and the intricate ways families cope with tragedy, especially involving stigmatized illnesses like AIDS.
Identity and Belonging:Â Marina's quest for her biological roots is central to her understanding of self and her place in the world.
Silence and Secrets:Â The burden of family secrets, the reasons for their concealment (shame, fear, sorrow), and the transformative power of confronting them.
Storytelling and Filmmaking:Â The act of reconstructing the past through narrative; Marina's use of her mother's diary and her own filmmaking aspirations highlight art's power in processing reality.
Key Success Factors
Carla Simón's Established Voice: Her acclaimed films (Summer 1993, Alcarrà s) have built a strong reputation for her intimate, sensitive, and authentic storytelling, creating high anticipation.
Personal Yet Universal Story: While deeply personal to Simón, the themes of seeking one's roots, dealing with family secrets, and processing loss resonate universally.
Innovative Blend of Realism and Magical Realism:Â This bold stylistic choice adds unique artistic depth, enriching the narrative and allowing for profound emotional exploration.
Strong Cinematography: Hélène Louvart's work is praised for its tactile quality and ability to capture both raw realism and ethereal, imaginative sequences.
Emotional Honesty:Â The film's commitment to portraying human interactions with nuance and avoiding artificial climaxes makes it feel truly authentic and deeply moving.
Summary Short
Carla Simón's "RomerÃa" is a poignant 2025 docu-drama about Marina, an 18-year-old orphan who journeys to Galicia to uncover her biological parents' past, shadowed by AIDS and family secrets. Blending intimate realism with dreamlike flashbacks, the film explores memory, identity, and the healing power of confronting unspoken histories.
Awards and Nominations
RomerÃa premiered in the main competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, where it was notably nominated for the prestigious Palme d'Or. It also garnered significant positive critical attention during its festival run.
Critics Reception
"RomerÃa" has received largely positive reviews from critics.
The Playlist: Praised Simón's "grounded, quiet fashion" in handling potentially melodramatic events, highlighting the nuanced family portrayal and the "unexpected love" Marina receives. They called the magical realism "a very big swing" that generally worked.
Revista Caligari: Deemed it Simón's "most introspective work to date," commending its compassionate gaze that avoids judgment. They found the dreamlike elements enriching, allowing for a "lyrical representation of the desire to revive what's been lost."
Cineuropa:Â Described the film as "another beautifully crafted personal story, which captivates with its deceptive simplicity," noting its unique narrative structure in how Marina reconstructs her past.
Filmaffinity: Cited critics who lauded Simón's "warmly tactile" filmmaking. However, Stephanie Bunbury of Deadline noted that the storytelling could "feel as heavy as wet sand" due to many hints without significant payoff.
Overall Summary: Critics generally praise RomerÃa for Carla Simón's sensitive direction, intimate storytelling, and authentic portrayal of family dynamics and hidden histories. The film's emotional honesty and nuanced performances are frequently highlighted. While the innovative use of magical realism is largely seen as successful, some minor criticisms suggest it occasionally slows the contemporary narrative or re-treads information. The film is widely recognized as a deeply personal and significant work within Simón's filmography.
Reviews
Reviews generally align with critical reception, emphasizing the film's emotional depth and Simón's signature style.
IndieWire: In "'RomerÃa' Review: Carla Simón's Intensely Personal Autofiction Takes Her (and a Budding Young Filmmaker) to Galicia," IndieWire stated that Simón operates behind her "most intensely personal lens yet," offering a powerful exploration of fragmented family histories.
Films in Frame (Cannes 2025 coverage): This Romanian publication, in "RomerÃa – Și copiii copiilor lor | Cannes 2025," appreciated the "evocative force of images" and the "ocean that smells of longing," but also noted that some elements felt familiar or the mise-en-scène could be "unexpectedly flat" or "boring."
Overall Summary: Reviews from various platforms consistently commend "RomerÃa" for its emotional depth and Simón's authentic style. While strong appreciation exists for the film's originality and exploration of personal history, some reviews indicate that the pacing or familiar themes might not entirely break new ground for all viewers. The consensus points to a powerful and moving, albeit sometimes subtle, cinematic experience.
Box Office
As "RomerÃa" premiered at Cannes in May 2025, and its Spanish theatrical release is scheduled for September 5, 2025, detailed box office figures are not yet widely available. As an arthouse film, it is expected to perform primarily in specialized cinemas and through festival screenings, rather than large-scale commercial success.
Production
RomerÃa is a multi-national co-production between Spain and Germany, highlighting the collaborative nature of European independent cinema. Production involved extensive preparation, including months of location scouting in Vigo and detailed scene-by-scene planning. Simón also worked closely with her cast, a mix of professional and non-professional actors, particularly for complex family scenes requiring precise "choreography." Cinematographer Hélène Louvart used both professional cinema cameras and a Handycam for Marina's perspective, enhancing the film's autobiographical and immediate feel. The film has a runtime of 115 minutes.
Production Companies
Elastica Films (Spain)
Ventall Cinema (Germany)
Dos Soles Media (Spain)
Movistar Plus+Â (Spain)
RTVEÂ (Spain)
3Cat (Spain)
ZDF/Arte (Germany/France)
Comunidad de Madrid (Spain)
Crea SGRÂ (Spain)
Sales Companies
mk2 Films (France) - Handles worldwide sales, leveraging their strong presence in international film markets.
Distribution Companies
Elastica Films (Spain) - Responsible for the domestic theatrical distribution of RomerÃa in Spain.
Release Date on Streaming
RomerÃa has a listed streaming release date of September 5, 2025, on Plex.
Theatrical Release
RomerÃa had its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2025, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. Its theatrical release in Spain is scheduled for September 5, 2025, distributed by Elastica. Release dates in other countries will follow its festival run.
Why to Recommend This Movie
For Fans of Intimate and Personal Cinema:Â If you appreciate films that delve deeply into human emotions and family dynamics with a delicate touch, "RomerÃa" is a must-see.
Carla Simón's Signature Style: It's a prime example of Simón's acclaimed filmmaking, building on the success of Summer 1993 and Alcarrà s, offering a unique and personal narrative.
Exploration of Universal Themes:Â The film tackles relatable themes of identity, memory, family secrets, and the quest for belonging, making it broadly resonant.
Artful Blending of Realism and Imagination:Â The innovative use of magical realism provides a fresh and compelling way to explore the past and its impact on the present.
Visually Captivating: Hélène Louvart's cinematography ensures the film is not only emotionally rich but also visually engaging.
Why to Watch Movie
Discover a Powerful Personal Story:Â Experience a deeply authentic, semi-autobiographical narrative that sheds light on a significant period of history (the AIDS crisis and its social stigma).
Witness a Director's Artistic Evolution: See Carla Simón push her creative boundaries with the inclusion of dreamlike sequences, offering a truly unique cinematic experience.
Engage with Unspoken Histories:Â The film encourages reflection on how families remember and process difficult pasts, providing a compassionate lens on intergenerational trauma.
Enjoy Subtlety and Nuance:Â Instead of overt drama, "RomerÃa" excels in its quiet observations, awkward silences, and nuanced performances, offering an immersive character study.
Support Independent and International Cinema:Â This high-quality arthouse film from Spain provides a refreshing alternative to mainstream productions.
What Movie Trend Film is Following
The "Personal/Autobiographical Cinema" Trend: RomerÃa firmly follows the trend of directors delving into their own personal histories and experiences to create fictionalized, yet deeply resonant, narratives. This trend has seen a rise in filmmakers exploring childhood memories, family traumas, and ancestral roots as sources for their storytelling, often blurring the lines between documentary and fiction. Carla Simón herself is a leading figure in this trend, with her previous works also being semi-autobiographical. This approach often results in films that feel incredibly authentic and emotionally raw.
What Big Social Trend is Following
The "Reclaiming and Processing Collective Trauma" Trend:Â The film directly addresses the social trend of contemporary society, particularly younger generations, looking back to understand and process past collective traumas and stigmas. In this case, it's the impact of the AIDS epidemic and the societal silence/shame surrounding it in the 1980s. There's a growing inclination to revisit difficult historical periods, to uncover hidden stories, and to confront the consequences of past prejudices, moving towards greater transparency and healing. This trend reflects a broader societal shift towards open dialogue about historically marginalized issues and the desire to prevent repeating past mistakes.
Final Verdict
"RomerÃa" stands as a deeply moving and artistically ambitious film from Carla Simón, solidifying her mastery of intimate storytelling. It's a poignant exploration of memory, identity, and the lingering echoes of the past, presented with a rare blend of emotional honesty and stylistic innovation. While its quiet pace may not appeal to all, those seeking a profound and reflective cinematic experience will find "RomerÃa" to be a truly rewarding pilgrimage into the heart of an unspoken family history. It firmly establishes Simón as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary European cinema.
Recommendations for Filmmakers
Embrace Personal Narratives:Â Don't shy away from your own experiences or family histories. Personal stories, when told with authenticity, often have the greatest universal resonance.
Experiment with Form:Â Be open to incorporating different stylistic elements (like magical realism in RomerÃa) to enhance emotional depth and explore complex themes in novel ways. Don't be afraid to break from conventional narrative structures.
Prioritize Emotional Honesty:Â Focus on genuine human interactions, even uncomfortable silences, over forced melodrama. Audiences connect with raw, authentic emotion.
Collaborate Closely with Your Team: The successful integration of cinematography (Hélène Louvart) and editing in RomerÃa highlights the importance of a strong, collaborative relationship with key crew members.
Trust Your Audience:Â Allow for ambiguity and unanswered questions. Not every detail needs to be spelled out; sometimes, the most powerful stories are those that prompt viewers to fill in the gaps.
Recommendations for Movie Industry
Support Distinct Artistic Voices: Continue to champion directors like Carla Simón who prioritize unique artistic vision and personal storytelling over commercial formulas.
Invest in International Co-Productions:Â "RomerÃa" demonstrates the richness that can emerge from collaborations between countries, fostering diverse perspectives and broader audiences.
Recognize the Value of Festival Circuits:Â Festivals like Cannes are crucial platforms for introducing and building buzz around arthouse films, often leading to wider distribution and critical acclaim.
Promote Films that Address Socially Relevant Themes:Â Encourage and fund projects that sensitively tackle difficult or overlooked historical and social issues, contributing to important cultural conversations.
Innovate in Distribution Models:Â As seen with RomerÃa's planned streaming release, exploring flexible distribution strategies that complement theatrical runs can maximize audience reach for specialized films.