On Falling (15)

A quietly intense anger powers this film about the human cost of online shopping.

Aurora, a Portuguese migrant, is a stock picker in an unnamed but easily identifiable distribution centre in Scotland. We are shown the oppressive and intrusive nature of the technology used by her employers: at work she is a slave to her hand-held scanner and when not in work she has to sign up for shifts via the work app on her phone.

Her finances are precarious, and it doesn't take much to upset them. We often see her isolated at work and alone in her bedroom, but she is always on the lookout for human connection, as in an exuberant night out or her developing friendship with a housemate. Her search for contact amidst the alienation she endures is a prominent theme throughout. 

On Falling is a powerful indictment of work in the twenty-first century and Laura Carreira, the director, dignifies Aurora by telling her story with empathy and humanity. 

Best of 2025 – Audience Selections. Text and film selection by Eamonn. 

This work contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.