Two weeks on from Malaga’s film festival, it’s time we take a look at one of their iconic screenings; Lapönia. It was shown in preview on the last day of the festival, and was just released across Spain on the 1st April 2026. For those who are wondering if they should go see it, do not expect anything of a great aesthetic brilliance, but If you seek laughter and social commentary this film is definitely worth your time.
Who is David Serrano?
Serrano is a Spanish film director, known for his comedic style in Una hora más en Canarias (2010) and Días de Fútbol (2003). His film Lapönia was, similarly, a comedy drama where two sisters reunite at Christmas. Mónica (Natalia Verbeke), goes with her husband and son to stay with her sister Nuria (Angela Cervantes) in Lapland. Nuria has a daughter with her rather humourless husband, Olavi (Vebjørn Enger) who often comes into conflict with her sister. The two couples descend into incessant argument after Nuria’s daughter reveals to Monica’s son that Father Christmas is not real.
Comedy and the Film’s Underlying Meaning
The film opens comically in a slow motion shot of the son destroying a fake Santa’s set after discovering he does not exist. The comedic elements are effective throughout as they colour moments of anger with laughter, rendering the characters more human. Serrano understands that emotions and relationship are utterly complex, as loyalties to different family members constantly contradict one another. Towards the end of the film, it becomes clear Nuria, has been emailing her sister’s husband Ramón, partly to deal with his wife’s challenging character. Such a moment is framed as slight betrayal but also exemplifies the simple need to relate and discuss the characters of our loved ones in order to put up with them. All four protagonists disagree with and support each other at different moments of the film, but what may appear incompatible between them never once lets their love waver.
Audiences understand this through Serrano’s excellently layered dialogue. The film takes place almost entirely in one location, so dialogue is essential in maintaining an interesting narrative. The character’s personalities are individual and recognizable to audiences. Monica often delivers childish and hurtful lines, while Nuria appears softer and more thoughtful, only occasionally succumbing to moments of anger. The story is told along side this, intriguingly, slowly revealing secrets and nuances that entice the audience. Namely, in unveiling the fact that Olavi’s daughter is not biologically his.
“Netflix Lighting” Undermines Authenticity
Nonetheless, the film was not without its shortcomings. Where Serrano carried in dialogue and comedy he lacked in aesthetic and style. His use of, what has become known as, “Netflix Lighting”, which aims to frame actors and sets in the brightest, and most flattering light completely undermines the authenticity of the characters. Similarly, the set itself is a house that appears artificial and overly crafted. Although, Olavi is relatively perfectionist character, a clean image of a house is different to an impersonal one. It retracts from any sense of people living genuine lives, so again undercuts the intention of the script.
By the same token, Serrano’s use of Music is characterless and seems to have been thrown in to emphasise moments of comedy with token staccato sounds that make jokes obscenely obvious, like audiences clapping in a sitcom. It is inserted also at times of heightened sadness or emotion, but again takes away from genuine sentiment in its generality. Serrano almost assumed too much stupidity in the audience; they would have understood jokes without the goofy soundtrack and wouldn’t have been discouraged by a messier style of cinematography. A slightly less flattering light that would have also mirrored the disorganisation of human character.
The Film Succeeds in its Intention
In summary, though Serrano’s Lapönia is undercut by an overly obvious cinematic aesthetic it ultimately succeeds in its primary intention to both offer insight into society and entertain them. Audiences are presented with a family blended by imperfections; sometimes kind, accepting, argumentative and even immoral. Thus, for all its faults, the film is successful, thought provoking and fun.
