2025, Germany – Mexico, 103 min., Feature, Biographical drama, Historical
Thorsten Klein, Lena Vurma
Thorsten Klein, Lena Vurma (based on the novel by Elena Poniatowska)
Tudor Vladimir Panduru
Olivia Vinall, Alexander Scheer, Ryan Gage, Cassandra Ciangherotti, István Téglás
Lena Vurma, Monica Moreno, Alejandra Malvida, Paul Zischler, James Heath (Dragonfly Films)
Paris in the 1930s. The rebellious young British artist Leonora Carrington breaks with social conventions to join the Surrealist movement alongside icons like Salvador Dalí and André Breton. Her tempestuous romance with the painter Max Ernst leads her on a journey of self-discovery and artistic awakening. As World War II ravages Europe, Leonora faces internal and external demons, eventually fleeing to Mexico. It is there that she finally achieves the creative independence she has long sought, finding her unique voice. The film is a lush biopic of a woman who would become one of the most visionary artists of her generation.
Thorsten Klein
Thorsten Klein is a Berlin-based German director and screenwriter known for bringing complex biographical and intellectual narratives to the screen. Following the international acclaim of his feature „Adventures of a Mathematician” (2020), which explored the life of Stan Ulam and the Manhattan Project, he turned his focus to the world of fine art. In “Leonora in the Morning Light”, Klein blends historical accuracy with a poetic, surrealist atmosphere, exploring the fine line between artistic genius and psychological struggle.
FILMOGRAPHY
2025 – Leonora in the Morning Light / Leonora im Morgenlicht
2020 – Adventures of a Mathematician
2013 – Lost Place
FESTIVALS, AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
2025 – Official Selection (World Premiere) – Guadalajara International Film Festival
2025 – Nomination: CineCoPro Award – Munich Film Festival
2025 – Official Selection – Chicago International Film Festival
2025 – Special Presentation – AFI Silver Theatre, USA
Lena Vurma
Lena Vurma is an award-winning German producer, screenwriter, and director. She is the founder of Dragonfly Films and an alumna of the prestigious Inside Pictures and EAVE programs. Vurma is recognized for her expertise in international co-productions and her focus on compelling biographical narratives, most notably producing „Adventures of a Mathematician” (2020). With „Leonora in the Morning Light”, she makes her feature film directorial debut (alongside Thorsten Klein), fulfilling a long-held passion to bring Leonora Carrington’s life to the screen.
FILMOGRAPHY
2025 – Leonora in the Morning Light / Leonora im Morgenlicht
FESTIVALS, AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS