Paulina García may be best known for her nuanced, emotionally raw performances, but her latest role tasked her with something far trickier than simply conveying grief or joy. In the psychological thriller Love Is the Monster, the acclaimed Chilean actress steps into the shoes of Margaret, a grandmother whose presence at a remote Finnish retreat becomes the catalyst for a series of impossible moral dilemmas. The film, which just released an exclusive trailer for its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, sees García navigating a character who is both a passive observer and an active participant in the chaos unfolding around her.
The story centers on Ana (Madeline Zima) and Justin (Leonardo Nam), a couple reeling from the fallout of infidelity. Hoping to salvage their fractured relationship, they accept an invitation to an exclusive couples retreat in Finland, where the endless golden light of the midnight sun creates a dreamlike, almost surreal backdrop. They are joined by several other couples from across the globe, all seeking the transformative guidance of Tiina (Milla Puolakanaho), a shaman and healer whose methods are said to be inspired by Lempo, an ancient Finnish goddess associated with love and fertility. But as the trailer suggests, the idyllic setting and spiritual promises quickly curdle into something far more sinister.
García’s Margaret occupies a curious space in this ensemble. She is not a retreat participant, nor is she part of Tiina’s inner circle. Instead, she seems to be a lingering presence, perhaps a relative of one of the attendees or a figure tied to the retreat’s mysterious history. The new trailer, shared exclusively with USA Film News ahead of TIFF, shows Margaret observing the group with a mix of concern and quiet desperation. In one telling sequence, a younger woman whispers to her, "You don’t have to do this," to which Margaret replies, her voice trembling but resolute, "If I don’t, who will?" That single exchange hints at the core tension of the film: a grandmother forced to weigh her own safety and sanity against the need to protect those she loves.
Director Alex Noyer, who previously explored themes of isolation and obsession in his feature Sound of Violence, seems to be leaning into a more atmospheric and dread-laden style here. The trailer is heavy with long shots of birch forests, placid lakes, and the eerie, perpetual daylight that makes it impossible to tell when a scene is happening - day or night, waking or dreaming. The music, a low, droning hum punctuated by sudden string stabs, underscores the sense that the retreat’s philosophy is not healing but manipulation. Tiina’s teachings, delivered with serene authority, begin to demand sacrifices that no rational person should accept.
The supporting cast adds texture to this pressure cooker. Moe Jeudy-Lamour plays Lance, a charismatic but volatile husband, while Kimberly-Sue Murray portrays Harper, a woman whose brittle smile hides deep fractures. Kristina Tonteri-Young appears as Blake, a younger participant who seems particularly susceptible to Tiina’s influence. Tatu Sinisalo’s Petri and Sheila McCarthy’s presence round out the ensemble, but it is García who anchors the emotional weight. Her Margaret is no damsel in distress; she is a woman who has lived enough to recognize manipulation when she sees it, yet she is also bound by maternal instinct and a sense of duty that forces her to walk a razor’s edge between intervention and self-preservation.
The film runs a tight 84 minutes, a deliberate choice for a thriller that thrives on mounting anxiety rather than prolonged exposition. Noyer has said in press notes that he wanted the movie to feel like a fever dream - something that pulls the audience in and refuses to let go until the final frame. The trailer certainly delivers on that promise, with quick cuts of screams, a door slamming, and a shot of García standing alone on a dock, staring at the unmoving horizon as the sun hovers just above the water, casting everything in a sickly amber glow.
Love Is the Monster is slated for release on October 13, 2025, and will debut at TIFF this September, where it is expected to generate significant buzz given its provocative premise and García’s formidable performance. Early reactions to the trailer have focused on the film’s uneasy blend of folk horror and domestic drama, with some critics noting that the setting feels fresh - a far cry from the creaky haunted houses or foggy moors typical of the genre. The use of the midnight sun as both a visual motif and a narrative device is particularly striking; it robs the characters of the comfort of darkness, denying them a natural boundary between safety and danger.
For García, the role marks another bold choice in a career defined by taking risks. She won the Silver Bear at Berlin for her work in Gloria, and her recent appearances in international productions have only solidified her reputation as an actress unafraid of discomfort. Here, she plays a woman who is fundamentally decent but placed in profoundly indecent circumstances. The trailer’s final shot is of her hands, aged and lined, clasped together in a gesture that might be prayer or might be restraint. It’s an image that lingers long after the screen goes dark, posing the question the film seems to ask of all its characters: what does love demand of you, and what are you willing to lose in order to keep it?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
