The Spanish actress Nora Navas, known for her award-winning work in Black Bread, has been announced as the lead in The Bastard Daughter (La Hija Bastarda), the first feature from actress-turned-director Olivia Delcán. The project is being shepherded by Solita Films, the production company founded by brothers José and César Esteban Alenda, and counts on co-production from Barcelona-based Sumendi Filmak. Spanish distribution will be handled by Elastica Films, while streaming rights for SVOD have been secured by Filmin.
This announcement arrives amid Solita Films’ ongoing strategy of backing debut films by female directors. The Alenda brothers have gathered attention in recent years for producing first features that have reached international festivals; their slate often includes projects that champion distinctive, author-driven voices.
Project profile and creative vision
The Bastard Daughter is written and directed by Olivia Delcán, whose training includes study at the William Esper Studio in Manhattan and early screen work such as co-writing and acting in Fernando Colomo’s 2015 film La Isla Bonita. Delcán has also appeared on television in series like Warrior Nun and Locked Up. She frames her debut feature as a tragicomedy that blends sharp humor with emotional unpredictability.
Plot outline and lead character
The story centers on a 56-year-old woman living on the Spanish Mediterranean island of Monica, portrayed by Nora Navas. Following the death of her mother, the character confronts doubt about whether she wants to reconnect with her 30-year-old daughter back home or continue on a different path. Fatigued and ready for upheaval, the protagonist declares, “I am going to start doing things wrong,” signaling a radical turn in her life. The film aims to balance melancholy and laughter while interrogating themes of grief, identity and generational ties.
Production partners and festival trajectory
Solita Films is the lead producer on the project. The company, created by the Esteban Alenda brothers in, has a track record of supporting debuts that have circulated at festivals such as Sundance, Berlinale and San Sebastián. Sumendi Filmak joins as co-producer, and Elastica Films will distribute the film in Spain. Filmin has already secured streaming rights, signalling early interest from digital platforms.
Regional and festival support
The film has been recognized within industry development programs: it won the Atlàntida Mallorca Talent Lab and has received support from the Balearic Cinema Institute (ICIB) and the Menorca Insular Council. It also participated in the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences’ Rueda program. The project was presented in the MAFIZ industry section at the Festival de Málaga, aligning it with other Balearic projects making a notable presence at the festival.
Creative influences and thematic roots
Delcán describes the film as a genre-mixing piece—part tragicomedy, part cultural portrait—that draws on both broad emotional gestures and intimate family stories. She offered a playful comparative image when speaking about the film’s tone, suggesting it could be like “a Nino Bravo song sung by Gloria from Sebastian Lelio’s film and written by Maren Ade,” pointing to an interplay between popular music, Latin melodrama and contemporary European irony.
Personal history informing the story
Much of the narrative texture comes from Delcán’s own family background. She cites growing up surrounded by maternal relatives—her grandmother’s six daughters and their nine daughters—as a wellspring for the female characters who populate the film. These women, she says, embody both caregiving roles and independent, enterprising impulses, navigating a world historically shaped by male structures.
Timeline and next steps
As of the latest update, The Bastard Daughter is in its financing phase and is slated to enter production in Autumn 2027. With festival endorsements, platform interest and a seasoned cast attached, the film is positioned to continue the recent momentum for first features from Spain that combine regional specificity with universal themes.
Given the creative team, festival backing and distribution partners already on board, the project exemplifies a contemporary production model in which indie producers, regional film bodies and streaming services cooperate early to bring boundary-pushing debut films to both local and international audiences.