Taika Waititi Adapts Kazuo Ishiguro’s Novel Klara and the Sun

Klara and the Sun, the adaptation of Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, premieres at the BFI London Film Festival on 15 October. Taika Waititi directs and Jenna Ortega plays the title role. The film opens in US theatres on 23 October.

The novel came out in 2021 and was Ishiguro’s first book after he won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature. Waititi wrote the screenplay with Dahvi Waller, and the producer is David Heyman, who produced the entire Harry Potter series.

What the film is about

The story is set in a future where genetic engineering has divided society into classes. Klara is an Artificial Friend, an android companion for children, and an outdated model at that. She waits in a shop window, drawing strength from the sun, until Chrissie chooses her for her seriously ill daughter Josie. Klara tries to become a true friend to the girl and comes to believe that the Sun can save Josie.

Who is in it

• Jenna Ortega as Klara;
• Amy Adams as Chrissie, Josie’s mother;
• Mia Tharia as Josie;
• Aran Murphy as Rick, Josie’s friend;
• Natasha Lyonne as the store manager;
• Rachel House as Melania, the housekeeper.

Simon Baker was cast as Josie’s father, but his scenes were cut in the edit.

Behind the camera

For Waititi, who won an Oscar for the screenplay of Jojo Rabbit, this is his most serious project in years. Filming began in January 2024 under the working title Tears and Rain and took place in New Zealand, at Silverlight Studios in Wānaka and in Auckland. The cinematographer is Mike Berlucchi and the editors are Adam Gough and Tom Eagles. Michael Giacchino wrote the music, his fourth film with Waititi. The running time is 116 minutes.

When to watch

The world premiere is in London on 15 October, and Sony Pictures releases the film in US theatres on 23 October. There are no reviews yet at the time of publication. Cast and stills are on the film’s page in our AMDB database.