The film 'The Last Sunrise' turns Mallorca into "something more" than a romance setting

Los AngelesArgentinian Maia Reficco and Spaniard Fernando Lindez star in The Last Sunrise, a summer romance that, in addition to addressing themes such as loss and illness, incorporates a reflection on excessive tourism in Mallorca. "It's not just a romance," Lindez (Madrid, 2000) explains in an interview. "The film, I think, touches on other topics and also teaches us to take care of the places where we come from, where we originate, the natural reserves in this world, and not to abuse them," he adds.

The film, based on the novel of the same name by Anna Todd, arrives this Wednesday on Prime Video and follows the story of Ry (Reficco), a young American woman with a chronic illness who travels to Mallorca with her mother in the summer. Here she will meet Julián (Lindez), a local who will teach her about life in Spain and with whom she falls deeply in love, giving new meaning to her life.

"(The movie) is surprisingly moving (...) I would love for people to leave with this idea of appreciating the present," says Reficco, born in Boston (USA) and of Argentine parents. For the actress, one of the central aspects in building Ry was understanding how her illness conditioned her way of projecting herself into the future, without letting her health situation completely define her aspirations.

"There is a lot of complexity within a health situation. When the protagonist allows herself to dream and when she allows herself to project into the future. Julián personifies this hope a bit," explains Reficco. The family business interests complicate the romance when Isolde, Ry's mother (played by Eva Longoria), seeks to build a tourist hotel on land owned by Julián's family.

Mallorca, "another character"

For Lindez, Mallorca was not simply the setting for the film, but “a character in itself”. Furthermore, as a Spaniard, he values that the film, directed by Carlson Young, addresses social issues that residents of the Spanish island do experience in real life. "Mallorca has a problem with excessive tourism and I think that is something the film reflects," he states.

Before filming, Reficco and Lindez had never been to the island, but after spending two months there they assure that it became a very important place for them. "I left completely in love with it," explains the actress from Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin. The project is also Lindez's first in English, who has participated in series such as Skam España and Escándalo: "It's every actor's dream, I think, to end up making a movie in Hollywood," says the model.

The film also includes the participation of the Spanish model and actor Andrés Velencoso, who plays Julián's father, and who is an important figure from Isolde's past.

The Last Sunrise joins Longoria's projects linked to Spain, where she has also worked on productions such as the documentary series Searching for Spain, in which she explores the country's gastronomy and culture, and the Apple TV+ series Land of Women.

"(Longoria) was inspiring, I learned a lot from her as a person, as an actress. She is also a director, so I found it very enriching to observe her and learn from the way she works and how she shares her knowledge", points out Reficco.

The film will be available from August 26 on Prime Video.