Lionel

Director Carlos Saiz Espín

1 hr. 35 min. · Spain, France, 2026 · French, Spanish · Subtitles: Lithuanian, English · Pegi 13

About the film

As summer approaches, Lionel learns that when he turns 26 he will lose the orphan’s pension he has received since his mother’s death. Unsure what to do next, he accepts an unexpected invitation from his estranged father - also named Lionel - to travel to northern France for his sister’s birthday. Father and son have barely spoken for years. Initially distant, the older Lionel soon begins eagerly revisiting the past. As warmth and old resentments alike rise to the surface, a fragile emotional bond begins to take shape between them. Lionel appears alongside his real father, and by giving the cast the freedom to be themselves, director Carlos Saiz creates a singular hybrid film about the gulf between generations and the models of masculinity shaped by society.

Details

Running time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Country, year: Spain, France, 2026
Language: French, Spanish
Subtitles: Lithuanian, English
Age rating: Pegi 13

Credits

Director: Carlos Saiz Espín
More information: www.imdb.com
MUBI: View on MUBI

Director

Carlos Saiz Espín

Carlos Saiz Espín is a filmmaker from Murcia. His graduation film, The Bonfire (2020), screened at around thirty international festivals, including San Sebastián, Clermont-Ferrand and FICUNAM. The following year, his animated short Muerte Murciélago (2021) was shortlisted for a Goya Award. His feature debut, Lionel (2025), premiered in the Official Selection of the 70th Seminci, having previously received awards through the TorinoFilmLab, Ventana CineMad and MAFIZ industry programmes.

Screenings

3 screenings in 1 city.

Thursday, November 5 20:40 Skalvija · Hall 1 Tickets
Sunday, November 8 21:40 Forum Cinemas Vingis · Hall 9 Tickets
Thursday, November 12 16:50 Forum Cinemas Vingis · Hall 9 Tickets