Tragedy has a way of altering a person’s perception of time. Grief can cause one to feel like the world has come to a halt, even when it’s rotating for everyone else. As the audience observes in Lucía Aleñar Iglesias intimate debut feature Forastera , when it comes to death, time cannot be extended no matter the various ways one tries to keep the dead alive.

Vacationing with their grandparents, Catalina (Marta Angelat) and Tomeu (Lluís Homa), in their picturesque seaside home in Mallorca, time seems endless for sisters Cata (Zoe Stein) and Eva (Martina García). When not basking in the sun at the beach, or making out with a local boy in Cata’s case, the siblings enjoy the quality time they get to spend with their grandparents. Whether it is baking with Catalina or helping Tomeu cheat at his regular card game with friends, the home is filled with joy and love. Even the alleged presence of a ghost in the house, which causes one of the lights to flicker, cannot ruin the sunny vibes.

Darkness begins to creep in when, upon returning home from the beach one night, Cata finds her grandmother dead. Dying while taking out the garbage, the sudden nature of the incident is a shock to the whole family. As the girl’s mother Pepa (Núria Prims) rushes to be by their side, and Tomeu finds himself unable to get out of bed due to his grief, the sisters attempt to navigate their own conflicted emotions. In Cata’s case, she begins to find comfort in wearing her grandmother’s dresses.

Prior to her grandmother’s death, Cata would find it fun to imitate her grandmother on the phone when her mom called. The fact that others frequently commented on her resemblance to Catalina only fuelled this playful habit further. However, after the funeral, Cata begins to slowly blur the lines between fantasy and reality as she starts wearing her grandmother’s clothing outside the house and around her grandfather. Despite Pepa’s warnings against such actions, the teen believes that she is actually helping in the healing process.

Pushing things too far, Cata must confront whether attempting to fill the emotional void of others is simply an excuse to avoid dealing with her own.

In weaving its tale of loss and memory, Forastera highlights how grief takes many forms. Similar to the crisp blue waters that can be viewed from the doorframes of Catalina and Tomeu’s home, Aleñar Iglesias’ film flows on a wave of subtle emotions. Avoiding the big showy outburst that one might expect from a story like this, the film builds a haunting atmosphere through Cata’s increasingly questionable actions.

As the lines between Cata and her grandmother start to overlap, including the former starting to have the exact experiences the latter had years earlier, the film touches on how spirits that never leave us, but often move through us. However, those expecting an in-depth look at the ways the supernatural can manifest in times of grief will not find that here. Aleñar Iglesias’ leaves a layer of ambiguity to the unfolding events.

By never going fully where the audience expects, Forastera ’s impact does not hit home immediately. Its unique approach, too elusive at times, pulls the viewer into the sense of emptiness the characters are feeling. However, as one sits and ruminates on the way Aleñar Iglesias’ film finds healing and comfort in the love that never leaves, the film’s effectiveness begins to surface.

An intriguing exploration of loss and the ways we process grief and memory, Forastera announces Lucía Aleñar Iglesias as a director to watch.

Forastera screened as part of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. Head here to get all our That Shelf TIFF coverage .