The Wave (2025 film)
| The Wave | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | La ola |
| Directed by | Sebastián Lelio |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Benjamín Echazarreta |
| Edited by | Soledad Salfate |
| Music by | Matthew Herbert |
Production company | Fábula |
| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 129 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | Spanish |
The Wave (Spanish: La ola) is a 2025 musical drama film directed by Sebastián Lelio, from a screenplay written by Lelio, Manuela Infante, Josefina Fernández and Paloma Salas. Starring Daniela López, Avril Aurora, Lola Bravo and Paulina Cortés, it is loosely inspired by 2018 Chilean feminist protests and strikes.[1]
The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Premiere section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, on May 16, 2025.[2]
Cast
- Daniela López as Julia[3]
- Avril Aurora as Luna
- Lola Bravo as Rafa
- Paulina Cortés as Tamara
- Claudia Cabezas as Julia's mother
- Néstor Cantillana as Pedro
- Elvira López as lawyer
- Amalia Kassai as Paz
- Luis Dubó as don Cantarino
- Susana Hidalgo as Piedad
- Lucas Saéz Collins as Max
- Mariana Loyola as Max's mother
- Álvaro Espinoza as Max's father
- Renata González Spralja as Octavia
- Amparo Noguera as Raquel
- Tamara Acosta as secretary
- Antonia Santa María as journalist
- Florencia Berner as Leo
- Valentina Nassar as Francisca
- Germán Pinilla as Alejo
- Roberto Villena as student
Production
Principal photography had wrapped in April 2024, after filming on location for nine weeks.[4] Accompanying the announcement of the production wrap, it was reported that newcomers Daniela López, Avril Aurora, Lola Bravo and Paulina Cortés had joined the cast.[5]
Music
The film features seventeen national musicians, including Ana Tijoux, Camila Moreno, Javiera Parra, Evelyn Cornejo, Niña Tormenta, Chini.png and Natalia Contesse who collaborated to write the musical composition alongside the film's composer, Matthew Herbert.[1]
Release
The Wave had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Cannes Premiere section, on 16 May 2025.[2][6]
It will compete for IFFI ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal at the 56th International Film Festival of India in November 2025.[7]
Distributed by El Camino, it is scheduled to be released commercially on August 28, 2025, in Chilean theaters.[8][9]
On September 6, 2025 The Wave made its United States premiere as Closing Night Selection at NVISON Latino Film & Music Festival in Miami.[10]
In December 2025, Wolfe Video announced their acquisition of North American distribution rights to the film with a plans for a theatrical release in 2026.[11][12]
Reception
Guy Lodge of Variety assessed that despite the filme being "composed and choreographed with energetic aplomb", the two-hour-plus runtime "exposes the repetitiveness of its rhetoric and the sparseness of its drama".[13]
References
- ^ a b Valdivia, Gonzalo (10 April 2024). "La Ola: Sebastián Lelio filma musical inspirado en las manifestaciones feministas de 2018". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ a b Ntim, Zac (10 April 2025). "Cannes Competition: Aster, Trier, Dardennes, Reichardt, Ducournau & Wes Anderson Among Lineup — Full List". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ "LA OLA (THE WAVE)". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Dams, Tim (10 April 2024). "Sebastián Lelio wraps production, releases first look images for musical film 'The Wave'". Screen International. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ "Fremantle y Fabula finalizan el rodaje de La ola, de los hermanos Larraín". Todo TV News. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ "The Screenings Guide of the 78th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. 8 May 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Naman Ramachandran (7 November 2025). "Cannes Winner 'The President's Cake' Among 10 Films Competing for ICFT-UNESCO Gandhi Medal at India's IFFI Goa Festival". Variety. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
- ^ Vogt, Nicolás J. (20 August 2025). "Sebastián Lelio, director de La Ola: "El corazón de la película está con las mujeres, pero también observa las luces y sombras del proceso"".
- ^ Valdivia, Gonzalo (19 June 2025). "Mira el primer trailer de La Ola, el musical inspirado en las tomas feministas". La Tercera (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- ^ "New to Miami, NVISION Festival Zooms in on Latin American Cinema". ArtburstMiami. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (17 December 2025). "Wolfe Video Takes North America For Sebastián Lelio's 'The Wave'". Deadline. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy. "Sebastián Lelio's Cannes Premiere selection 'The Wave' lands North American deal". Screen. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (17 May 2025). "'The Wave' Review: Sebastián Lelio's Feminist Protest Musical is Vibrantly Staged but Dramatically Flat". Variety.