David Serrano directs Welcome to Lapland, an adaptation of a stage play
- Natalia Verbeke, Julián López, Ángela Cervantes and Vebjørn Enger lead a comedy about family relationships, produced and sold by The Mediapro Studio
Based on the successful play Lapönia, acclaimed by critics and staged to great success in Spain, the United States, Croatia, Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, Venezuela and the Czech Republic, Welcome to Lapland breaks with the conventions of classic family comedy, offering an ironic take on the ethical and moral dilemmas of everyday life. With a sharp focus on themes such as family relationships, white lies, traditions and conventions, the film uses humour as a tool for reflection. It is a story about family, though not one intended for the whole family, as few parents will want to watch it with their young children.
Lapönia is directed by David Serrano (I'm Going to Have a Good Time [+see also:
trailer
film profile], the series Vote for Juan). The screenplay, written by the authors of the original play, Cristina Clemente and Marc Angelet, is based on an idea developed by both of them together with Jordi Casanovas. Natalia Verbeke (recently seen in the musical Todos los lados de la cama), Julián López (recently in Glimmers [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Pilar Palomero
film profile]), Ángela Cervantes (Goya-nominated for her leading role in Fury [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gemma Blasco
film profile]) and Norwegian actor Vebjørn Enger (Project Z, the series Ragnarok) head the cast of this story set on Christmas Eve in the Finnish city of Rovaniemi, capital of the Lapland region and the supposed home of Santa Claus.
The feature film follows the story of Nuria (Ángela Cervantes), who, after several years without celebrating the holidays together, decides to invite her sister Mónica (Natalia Verbeke), her husband (Julián López) and their son to spend a dream Christmas in Rovaniemi. Nuria lives in Lapland with her husband Olavi (Vebjørn Enger) and their daughter, and the plan initially seems perfect. Everything changes when Nuria’s daughter tells her cousin that the man in red with a white beard who supposedly brings presents to well‑behaved children does not exist — that Father Christmas is merely a character invented by parents to manipulate their children. What was meant to be the most magical Christmas ever quickly descends into open conflict between sisters, brothers-in-law and cousins. Over the course of the night, long-buried secrets come to light amid a debate about what is more appropriate: telling the truth at any cost or preserving the illusion, even if it means resorting to lies.
Lapönia is produced by Laura Fdez. Espeso and Javier Méndez for The Mediapro Studio with the participation of Movistar Plus+, RTVE and 3Cat. International distribution is handled by The Mediapro Studio Distribution, and the film will be released in Spanish cinemas on 1 April, distributed by A Contracorriente Films.
(Translated from Spanish)
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