SMHAF Film Club: On Falling (2024)

Join the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) for a welcoming monthly film club at The Nook. Taking place on the first Thursday of each month, these events offer the chance to watch a film together, followed by a relaxed conversation over tea and coffee.

On Falling is our film for August. This drama tells the story of Aurora, a Portuguese migrant working as a warehouse picker in Edinburgh, as she struggles to find meaning and connection in an alienating and precarious gig economy.

SMHAF is an annual celebration of the arts and mental health across Scotland, led by the Mental Health Foundation. It aims to provide a platform for everyone to create and share art inspired by mental health. This year, it takes place from 19 October to 8 November 2026, exploring the theme of Reflections. To find out more, visit www.mhfestival.com.

The film club at The Nook is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery.

More About the Film

On Fallingd. Laura Carreira (UK, Portgual, 2024) 104m

Set against a landscape dominated by an algorithm-driven gig economy, in a world designed to keep us apart, On Falling explores the silent, vital struggle to find meaning and connection. It tells the story of Aurora, a Portuguese migrant working as a warehouse picker in Edinburgh, Scotland. Trapped between the confines of a vast distribution centre and the solitude of her own bedroom, Aurora seeks out every opportunity to resist the alienation and isolation that threaten her sense of self.

Winner of BAFTA Scotland for Best Feature Film and Best Writer in 2025.

Themes & Content

This film is accessible for all but particularly relevant for people with an interest in how migration, financial insecurity and precarious employment affect our mental health. It contains themes of self-harm, suicide and financial insecurity, as well strong language and brief nudity. It contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.