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Fairyland

Play trailer 1:58 Poster for Fairyland R Now Playing 1h 56m Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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98% Tomatometer 45 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 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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Fairyland

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 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 Full Review Todd Jorgenson Cinemalogue Strong performances and heartfelt intergenerational dynamics propel this otherwise predictable coming-of-age melodrama. Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Al Alexander Movies Thru the Spectrum If you’re not weeping by the film’s bittersweet finale, I wouldn’t want to know you. Rated: B+ Oct 9, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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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 Michael M Beautiful script and absolutely amazing performances by Scoot McNairy, Emilia Jones, Geena Davis and Cody Fern. I haven’t seen such an authentic and heartfelt film in years. They don’t make films like this anymore. Scoot McNairy ought to be nominated for awards for this performance. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/17/25 Full Review John M Life happens and we persist. This is an incredibly acted, beautifully realized film that captures the essence of an era with all of its highs and lows, triumphs and imperfections. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/17/25 Full Review Violet d Beautifully made, with so many excellent performances, and capturing the visuals and spirit of 1970s (and '80s) San Francisco so well! This film is authentic, funny, heartbreaking and so much more. You will be turning it over in your head long after the lights have come up. The end is, of course, very sad, so be prepared to cry. This movie fills a much needed void for us as a society - shining a light on a dark time that has not been fully processed; the loss of so many amazing young men in such a short period of time. This film is also a testament to independent filmmaking. The creativity and care put into this film is part of the magic; studio movies pale in comparison to the artistry (above and below the line) exhibited here. This film will be an absolute classic. I loved it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/13/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Fairyland

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Movie Info

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
Runtime
1h 56m