“Forastera”, interview with director Lucía Aleñar Iglesias

November 3, 2025 1

Lucía Aleñar Iglesias on her debut feature Forastera, a coming-of-age/search for identity story inspired by her short film

“Forastera”, interview with director Lucía Aleñar Iglesias Chiara Nicoletti

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In competition at the 23rd edition of Alice nella Città, lands “Forastera“, Lucía Aleñar Iglesias’s debut feature.

The Spanish director, based in Madrid, tells the story of Catalina, a teenager in constant battle with her own age who’s exploring her own identity and trying to find her place in the world, during a summer at her grandparents’ in Mallorca. The sudden death of her beloved grandma, will force Catalina on a deeper path, also dealing with grief and loss.

Discovering Identity and Grief in Forastera

“Every character in Forastera is constantly battling with their own age, trying to force themselves into or out of another identity”, explains Iglesias. The director highlights that her film is not just a coming-of-age story but a delicate exploration of how projecting loved ones onto objects and people shapes our understanding of ourselves. As the protagonist immerses herself in her grandmother’s identity, the film questions how femininity is influenced by societal gaze and familial expectations.

As the film deals with the concept of transplanted identities, considered by the director as the beating heart of this project, it explores the limits of generational and genetic inheritance and how much control we have over who we are.

The surreal setting of Mallorca and protagonist Zoe Stein

Set against the evocative backdrop of Mallorca, “Forastera” creates an almost surreal world that reflects the inner journey of its characters. Iglesias emphasizes that the setting acts as a “bubble,” intensifying the character-driven narrative and allowing viewers to engage deeply with the protagonist’s emotional landscape. The film also explores the role of the grandfather in this grieving process, portraying a more active engagement in navigating their shared loss.

Iglesias plans to further explore themes of caregiving, power dynamics, and identity in her future work, emphasizing her commitment to cinema that questions societal roles and encourages reflection.

The film’s casting of actress Zoe Stein was crucial, with Iglesias praising her ability to embody subtlety and silence—elements vital to the film’s emotional depth.

Plot

Like every summer, 15-year-old Catalina spends her holidays at her grandparents’ in Mallorca. But when her grandmother suddenly passes away, Catalina, still looking for new experiences, puts on the clothes of the deceased. This trivial gesture will soon blur her identity and time itself: her grandfather recognizes her as his late wife, her mother behaves like a teenager. As the summer flows strangely by, Catalina finds a clue to who she is, but the dive becomes deep enough that it proves difficult to distinguish herself from the familiar

Written by: Chiara Nicoletti

Guest

Lucía Aleñar Iglesias

Film

Forastera

Festival

Alice nella Città - Roma

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“Forastera”, interview with director Lucía Aleñar Iglesias

Lucía Aleñar Iglesias on her debut feature Forastera, a coming-of-age/search for identity story inspired by her short film

Discovering Identity and Grief in Forastera

The surreal setting of Mallorca and protagonist Zoe Stein

Plot

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