On Falling, 2024.
Written and directed by Laura Carreira.
Starring Joana Santos, Inês Vaz, and Neil Leiper.
SYNOPSIS:
The story focuses on Aurora, a Portuguese worker in a Scottish warehouse, navigating loneliness and alienation in an algorithm-driven gig economy as she seeks meaning and connection amidst solitude and workplace confines.
We’re so used to takes that paint a fairy tale take on the immigrant experience, especially those focused on the US and the UK. This can distract from the hardships and authentic experiences from those leaving their homes to try and start a new and hopefully better life. Laura Carreira’s On Falling feels different to many previous takes on this, centred around the gig economy, a mainstay of the world we live in today. This is far from what many immigrants would see for themselves. It is a harsh reality and a film that feels urgent and timely.
We follow Aurora (Joana Santos), a warehouse picker in Edinburgh, originally from Portugal. This is an unglamorous portrayal of the city with no shots of The Royal Mile or its iconography. This is an alienating place where Aurora feels isolated and cast down, often silent and contemplative. From Sixteen Films (Ken Loach), there is an almost documentary like feel to proceedings as we follow Aurora through her work and occasional experiences with the outside world, it is never boring however even through moments of prolonged silence. She escapes the vast warehouse for a cramped and claustrophobic room.
It is clearly a subject close to Carreira’s heart, being a Portuguese, Edinburgh based director so many of the themes explored will be close to home. There is a sense of maturity for a debut film, following in the footsteps of Ken Loach, grappling with topics he has explored in films like The Old Oak and Sorry We Missed You (among many others). It never feels overly dour tackling its sensitive subject matter in a warm manner, spotlighting topics that we might take for granted in an age where so much is bought and delivered from warehouses like this.
On Falling is incredibly timely, anchored by a meditative performance from Joana Santos. With Aurora constantly on screen she has much of what works for the film resting on her shoulders and manages to keep us engrossed. It really marks Carreira as a voice to watch shining a light on an area many will overlook but might rethink following this film. This is the sort of film that should make us reframe how we think of the gig economy showing the reality many face.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
