How to Watch ‘Aftersun,’ AKA the Film That Scored Paul Mescal His First Oscar Nom
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ICYMI, awards season is in full swing, and this year’s top contenders include everything from ensemble casts (Don’t Worry Darling) to veteran directors (The Fablemans). But the dark horse of the race you may not have heard of yet is first-time director Charlotte Wells’s Aftersun, which has already earned actor Paul Mescal the youngest Best Actor Oscar nom in five years since Timothée Chalamet and Daniel Kaluuya.
“This is truly a special moment for everyone involved in Aftersun. To be recognized by the Academy is such an insane honor, and I’m so utterly grateful,” Paul said in a press release. “I want to dedicate this nomination to my two friends Charlotte and Frankie, who I love dearly! This is bananas, thank you!”
Curious about the film and how to watch it? Lucky for you, we’ve got the scoop on all things Aftersun, from what it’s about to how to watch it.
So Who Is in the Aftersun Cast?
Obviously, one of the most discussed actors in the film is Paul Mescal, certifiable hottie also known for his role in Normal People. Starring alongside him is Frankie Corio, who plays Paul’s onscreen 11-year-old daughter, Sophie. And although Frankie has no previous acting credits to her name, she *did* beat out 800 others who auditioned for the role, so it comes as no surprise that her performance is being lauded as one of the best of her generation…and that she recently became WME’s newest talent. The third main character (Sophie in her later years) is played by dancer and choreographer Celia Rowlson-Hall, who worked on the HBO hit Girls and starred in the movie Ma.
What Is Aftersun About?
The coming-of-age drama—set in the early 2000s—is summarized by A24 as follows:
“At a fading vacation resort, 11-year-old Sophie treasures rare time together with her loving and idealistic father, Calum (Paul Mescal). As a world of adolescence creeps into view, beyond her eye, Calum struggles under the weight of life outside of fatherhood. Twenty years later, Sophie’s tender recollections of their last holiday become a powerful and heartrending portrait of their relationship, as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t, in Charlotte Wells’s superb and searingly emotional debut film.”
Is Aftersun Based on a True Story?
Director Wells herself has confessed that the film is “emotionally autobiographical” about her own childhood and relationship with her father, telling W magazine, “I allowed, in the early stages of the film, my own memories and anecdotes from holidays and throughout childhood to inform the skeleton outline of the script. The process of digging through my past eventually infiltrated the film itself, and it took on this retroactive gaze.”
That said, the end result was inspired by an amalgam of other things. “These characters—while their starting point was certainly inspired by me and my dad—were ultimately infused by many different people, fictional and otherwise. As you move toward production, the story diverges from this place of self in a way that allows you to put yourself on the page in a way that feels very exposing…but less exposing once you get to the final film because it has transformed into its own thing.”
Is There a Trailer? 👀
Yes! And because we’re friends, here it is for ya:
Kay, So How Can I Watch Aftersun??
In terms of subscription-based streamers, there unfortunately has yet to be an ~official~ release date. But! Back in November 2019, A24 signed an exclusive output deal with Showtime Networks, which means the studio’s theatrical films released through November 2022 will air across the premium cable channel’s networks—and that includes Aftersun, which was released on October 21, 2022. If you’ve got a Showtime subscription, you’re in luck.
You’re also able to actually purchase the film for rent (or to own) in *tons* of places, including Amazon, Google Play, Apple, Vudu, Microsoft, Redbox, and AMC on Demand, so take your pick.
Happy watching!
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