Falling for Figaro

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Falling for Figaro
Falling for Figaro poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed byBen Lewin
Written byBen Lewin
Allen Palmer
Produced byJudi Levine
Philip Wade
Starring
CinematographyNic Lawson
Edited byPeter Carrodus
Music byCezary Skubiszewski
Production
companies
West End Films[1]
Such Much Films
Particular Crowd
Southern Light Films
5 Name Films[2]
Black Camel Pictures[3]
Distributed byUmbrella Entertainment (Australia and New Zealand)
Release dates
  • 1 October 2021 (2021-10-01) (United States)
  • 22 October 2021 (2021-10-22) (United Kingdom)
Running time
105 minutes
CountriesAustralia
United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Box office$170,048[4]

Falling for Figaro is a 2021 romantic comedy film written and directed by Ben Lewin, and starring Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald and Hugh Skinner.

The film was screened in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects film market in September 2020,[5] but did not have its official public premiere until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Plot[]

Millie, an American fund manager, realizes one day that her life-long dream is to become an opera singer. Quitting the job and moving away from her boyfriend, she travels to Scotland where she eventually becomes an opera singer following an intense vocal training from former opera diva Meghan Geoffrey-Bishop and fierce competition from other opera singers.

Cast[]

Production and filming[]

Casting for Falling for Figaro began on 29 October 2019 with Joanna Lumley and Danielle Macdonald in the lead roles.[6] On 13 December 2019, Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif and Rebecca Benson joined the team.[7]

Falling for Figaro was filmed in locations in the Scottish Highlands and Trossachs including Glencoe, Loch Lomond and two theatres in Glasgow.[8] The production of the film was funded by Screen Australia, Screen Scotland and Film Victoria[3] and took only two winter months to make (December–January).[9] The film's post production was in Melbourne, Australia, in February.[9]

The film encompasses many renowned operas, including The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, Romeo and Juliet, La traviata[9] and Carmen.[6]

Release[]

Falling for Figaro was screened for industry professionals in the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival's Industry Selects section, but was not made available for viewing by the general public.[5] It was screened at a variety of film festivals in 2021, including the Film by the Sea Film Festival in Vlissingen, Netherlands, the Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival,[10] the Berkshire International Film Festival[11] and the Sedona Film Festival.[12] The film also was screened in the Official Selection at the 2021 British Film Festival.[13]

WestEnd Films announced on 24 September 2020 that distribution rights for the film had been sold to several partners in various international markets.[14]

Falling for Figaro was released by various distributors almost all over the world. In Australia and New Zealand the film is distributed by Umbrella Entertainment while in Israel the film can be bought through the United King. In Europe, film distribution rights were given to Twelve Oaks of Spain, Splendid in Benelux and Investacommerce in former Yugoslavian states, with the UK distribution negotiated between Nigel Green at Entertainment and Maya Amsellem at WestEnd.[15]

The US distribution rights for the film were brought by IFC Films on 7 December 2020.[16] According to Arianna Bocco, the newly anointed president of IFC Films, the film is planned to be released in North America in 2021.[17]

On 9 December 2020, the deal was reached between UK and other distributors. In Japan the film is scheduled to be released via Happinet, while in South Korea, Entermode will become the distributor. The distributor for Taiwan will be Central Motion Picture Corporation, while people in the Middle East will enjoy it via Phoenicia Pictures. In Europe, Nos Lusomundo will be distributor for Portugal while in Poland it will be shown on various channels including Ale Kino+, Movie Channel, Canal+ Premium and Poland Group. Canadian distribution will be by Pacific Northwest Pictures (in theatres) and Cinesky (on airlines).[5]

Reception[]

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 70% based on 20 critics, with an average rating of 6.4/10.[18] On Metacritic, Falling for Figaro has a rank of 51 out of a 100 from 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[19]

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Undemanding rom-com fans and, to a lesser degree, opera lovers, should take some mild pleasure in Falling for Figaro, although the humor isn't of Gilbert and Sullivan proportions".[2]

Guy Lodge of Variety called Falling for Figaro "A corny, cute-enough carpe diem comedy...",[20] while Roxana Hadadi of RogerEbert.com said "The performances are what make Falling for Figaro an entertaining distraction, even as the film plays out exactly as you would expect".[21]

Other critics were less positive. Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times wrote "It's hard to fall for Falling for Figaro".[22] Beatrice Loayza of The New York Times admitted that "it's refreshing to see a plus-size woman not only nab the promotion and the hunky guy, but throw it all away within the first 15 minutes. Unfortunately, my plaudits for Falling for Figaro mostly end there".[23]

References[]

  1. ^ "Falling For Figaro". Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  2. ^ a b Scheck, Frank (30 September 2021). "'Falling for Figaro': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "'Falling for Figaro' Picked for TIFF Industry Selects". Black Camel Pictures. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  4. ^ "Falling for Figaro (2021)". The Numbers. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Rosser, Michael (9 December 2020). "TIFF Industry Selects title 'Falling For Figaro' seals international deals (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b Grater, Tom (29 October 2019). "'Patti Cake$' Star Danielle Macdonald, Joanna Lumley Board Opera Rom-Com 'Falling For Figaro' – AF". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. ^ MacNab, Geoffrey (13 December 2019). "Hugh Skinner, Shazad Latif, Rebecca Benson board UK comedy 'Falling For Figaro'". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  8. ^ Ferguson, Brian (5 January 2020). "Filming underway in Scottish Highlands for new romantic comedy starring Joanna Lumley". The Scotsman. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Groves, Don (7 September 2020). "Rom-com 'Falling for Figaro' to screen at TIFF Industry Selects". IF Magazine.
  10. ^ Ulrichsen, Heidi (26 August 2021). "Cinéfest still presenting hybrid festival for 2021, but trying to restore some normalcy". Sudbury.com. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Falling for Figaro". Berkshire International Film Festival. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Flagstaff Premiere: Falling for Figaro". Sedona International Film Festival. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Falling for Figaro". British Film Festival. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  14. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (24 September 2020). "WestEnd Sells Joanna Lumley's 'Falling For Figaro' Into U.K., China, Australia". Variety.
  15. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (24 September 2020). "Rom-Com 'Falling For Figaro', With Joanna Lumley & Danielle Macdonald, Sells To UK, Spain, Aus/NZ, China, More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  16. ^ Lang, Brent (7 December 2020). "IFC Films Buys 'Falling for Figaro', Rom-Com With Joanna Lumley, Danielle Macdonald". Variety.
  17. ^ Kay, Jeremy (7 December 2020). "Joanna Lumley comedy 'Falling For Figaro' lands at IFC FIlms". Screen Daily. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Falling for Figaro (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Falling for Figaro". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  20. ^ Lodge, Guy (3 October 2021). "'Falling for Figaro' Review: A Fine Ensemble Sings the High Notes in a Corny, Amiable Opera Comedy". Variety.
  21. ^ Hadadi, Roxana (1 October 2021). "Falling for Figaro". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  22. ^ Goldstein, Gary (29 September 2021). "Review: 'Falling for Figaro' fails to hit the high (or even so-so) notes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  23. ^ Loayza, Beatrice (30 September 2021). "'Falling for Figaro' Review: When the Overtures Are Operatic". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 27 October 2021.

External links[]

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