Klara and the Sun / Visa Gala

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's bestselling novel, Klara and the Sun follows Klara (Jenna Ortega), an Artificial Friend designed to ease human loneliness, whose unwavering devotion leads her into the heart of a fractured family. When she is chosen to accompany the fragile teenager Josie (Mia Tharia), Klara's innocent curiosity, boundless empathy, and quiet determination begin to transform the lives around her. As she struggles to understand what it truly means to be human, the film unfolds as an emotionally resonant meditation on technology, mortality, and hope. Written and directed by Academy Award winner Taika Waititi, the adaptation remains faithful to the emotional core of Ishiguro's novel while bringing its near-future world vividly to the screen. Anchored by a remarkable performance from Jenna Ortega and supported by Amy Adams, Klara and the Sun is a poignant science-fiction drama that explores the fragile bonds between parents and children, the highly discussed ethics of artificial intelligence, and the enduring human need for connection.

The screening of this film was made possible with the support of Visa.

BFI London Film Festival 2026 – Premier

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Taika Waititi is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, actor, and producer from New Zealand. Internationally acclaimed for blending humour with emotional storytelling, he directed films including Boy (2010), Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Jojo Rabbit (2019), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and Next Goal Wins (2023). With Klara and the Sun, Waititi turns to contemplative science fiction, adapting Kazuo Ishiguro's celebrated novel.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Next Goal Wins (2023)

Original title: Klara and the Sun
Director: Taika Waititi
Cast: Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Aran Murphy, Steve Buscemi, Natasha Lyonne
Cinematography: Mike Berlucchi
Screenwriter: Taika Waititi, Dahvi Waller (based on the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro)
Producers: David Heyman, Garrett Basch, Taika Waititi
Editors: Tom Eagles, Adam Gough
Music: Michael Giacchino
Hungarian distributor: Intercom
Colour: Colour
Run Time: 116 mins