The Other Way Around (TBC)

(Subtitled)

Jonás Trueba’s bittersweet, sharply observed story of a couple trying to end things on good terms and discovering just how hard that really is.

After 14 years together, Ale (Itsaso Arana), a filmmaker, and Alex (Vito Sanz), an actor, decide to break up gently, maturely, and mutually. So far, so civilised. But when Ale suggests they mark the occasion with a break-up party, the lines between closure and confusion begin to blur.

Set in sun-washed Madrid and co-written by Trueba and his leads, the film is breezy yet quietly layered, using dry humour and meta touches to explore the gap between the idea of an amicable split and the emotional truth underneath. Arana and Sanz are wonderfully natural together, making their familiarity (and underlying tension) feel lived-in and real.

There’s a looping, self-aware style to the storytelling, with scenes from Ale’s film blending into their own, and nods to both Hollywood rom-coms and Bergman dramas. But even in its most playful moments, the film remains grounded in emotional insight. A smart, gentle gem about endings, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive them.