Leonora in the Morning Light


Leonora in the Morning Light is a 2025 international co-production directed by Thor Klein and Lena Vurma. The biographical drama portrays the life of British-born surrealist artist Leonora Carrington, focusing on her years in Paris and Mexico. The film stars Olivia Vinall as Carrington and Alexander Scheer as Max Ernst. It premiered at the Filmfest München in June 2025.

Plot

In 1930s Paris, Leonora Carrington rebels against her aristocratic upbringing and joins the surrealist movement. She encounters artists such as Salvador Dalí and André Breton, and begins a passionate relationship with German painter Max Ernst. As World War II approaches, Carrington faces personal crises and political upheaval. Eventually she flees to Mexico, where she finds artistic freedom and develops her own voice as a painter and writer.

Cast

Release

Leonora in the Morning Light premiered at the Filmfest München in June 2025 in the CineCoPro competition. It was later distributed in Germany by Alamode Film.

Reception

Kino-Zeit praised the film’s ambitious scope, noting that it “offers a unique look at the fascinating life story of Leonora Carrington.” The review highlighted Olivia Vinall’s performance as “capturing both fragility and strength.”