Fairyland

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1:58

Fairyland

R

Oct 2025

1h 56m

Drama

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Produced by Oscar® winner Sofia Coppola (Writing, Original Screenplay, Lost in Translation, 2003) and based on the acclaimed memoir of the same name by Alysia Abbott, Fairyland is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of San Francisco's vibrant cultural scene in the 1970s and '80s. This captivating film chronicles a father and daughter relationship as it evolves through an era of bohemian decadence to the sober and heartbreaking era of the AIDS crisis.

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Critics Consensus

Drawing on one family's real-life experiences, the powerfully acted Fairyland pays poignant tribute to love and resilience in the face of adversity and tragedy.

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Randy Myers

San Jose Mercury News

The performances from McNairy, Nessa Dougherty as a young Alysia and Emilia Jones as a teen/adult Alysia capture her aches and longing.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 17, 2025

Full Review

G. Allen Johnson

San Francisco Chronicle

Durham’s direction is sensitive and assured, and he does a great job mixing his location work with archival footage to create an authentic sense of what San Francisco was like during those times.

Rated: 4/4

Oct 14, 2025

Full Review

Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

This is an honest, real movie about people living big lives during tumultuous times, and coming through it damaged but wiser.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 10, 2025

Full Review

Sarah Vincent

Sarah G Vincent Views

Writer and director Andrew Durham in his feature film debut is off to a terrific start. A lot of filmmakers lay it on too thick when filming a period film, and this film feels lived in, not precious or engineered to push buttons.

Nov 17, 2025

Full Review

Zach Youngs

InSession Film

Fairyland is a film that grows into itself. It’s a coming of age story that we see evolve as Alysia grows into it.

Rated: B

Oct 24, 2025

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André Hereford

Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)

Adapting Alysia Abbott’s acclaimed memoir about growing up with a single gay dad in ’70s San Francisco, 'Fairyland' shapes the unconventional coming-of-age story into a moving, warmly funny portrait of a bygone era of queer life and liberation.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 11, 2025

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Stephen T

this true to life story actually makes you feel like you're back in the 70s and 80s in San Francisco. the casting convincingly tells a heartbreaking story through the eyes of a daughter growing up with a single gay dad. now i want to read the book.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/02/25

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jesse v

A good documentary of the gay upbringing culture in classic San Francisco. some scenes were well shot and the actors performances were great. though time really sped through after the first act, even having the daughters side story completely dropped. ending was somber.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/02/25

Full Review

JoAnne

Loved it! Fantastic cast and moving story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/16/25

Full Review

TY

Heartbreakingly beautiful!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/13/25

Full Review

Lynne

It was a wonderful heartfelt movie. Highly recommend

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/05/25

Full Review

Robert R.

For those of us who lived this historical period, this movie resonates. However, it suffers from a glaring lack of finesse, adhering to a predictable melodramatic formula, almost reminiscent of “after-school specials” from my childhood. I am conflicted about this film, as the acting is great, and I have no complaints about the cinematography, but I really wonder how this might have fared under a more nuanced director.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/30/25

Full Review

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Andrew Durham

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Fairyland: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Produced by Oscar® winner Sofia Coppola (Writing, Original Screenplay, Lost in Translation, 2003) and based on the acclaimed memoir of the same name by Alysia Abbott, Fairyland is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of San Francisco's vibrant cultural scene in the 1970s and '80s. This captivating film chronicles a father and daughter relationship as it evolves through an era of bohemian decadence to the sober and heartbreaking era of the AIDS crisis.

Director: Andrew Durham
Producer: Andrew Durham, Sofia Coppola, Megan Carlson, Laure Sudreau, Siena Oberman, Greg Lauritano
Screenwriter: Andrew Durham
Distributor: Lionsgate / WILLA
Production Co: Lost Gang Films West, Black Magic, American Zoetrope, Artemis, Ouroboros Entertainment, Safe Space Pictures
Rating: R (Drug Use)
Genre: Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 3, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 4, 2025
Runtime: 1h 56m

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