Set in 1979 New Mexico, the coming-of-age drama Olmo follows 14-year-old Olmo as he struggles to care for his bedridden father while yearning for the ordinary joys of adolescence, including spending time with his best friend and impressing the girl next door.
Written and directed by Mexican filmmaker Fernando Eimbcke, the film stars Aivan Uttapa in the title role alongside Gustavo Sánchez Parra, Andrea Suárez Paz, Rosa Armendariz, Diego Olmedo, and Melanie Frometa.
Following its world premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlin International Film Festival, Olmo continued its festival journey with screenings at the Sydney Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Toronto International Film Festival, San Sebastián International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, and later made its U.S. premiere at AFI FEST. U.S. audiences will finally have the opportunity to experience Olmo when Greenwich Entertainment releases the film in theaters on August 7, 2026.
In the film, fourteen-year-old Olmo and his family are struggling to make ends meet in 1979 New Mexico. Due to an illness that keeps his father Nestor confined to his bed, his mother Cecilia, his sister Ana, and even he himself must contribute to the daily caretaking responsibilities. Olmo, in the throes of selfish adolescence, would much rather hang out with his best friend Miguel and try to impress his beautiful next-door neighbor Nina than take care of his dad. And when Nina finally invites him to a party on the day that he’s been left alone with his dad, Olmo will do whatever he can to get out of his duties, embarking on a journey of mischief and chaos. In his desperate attempt to escape his home life, he will come to realize that the place of his deepest pain is also where he will find solace: with his family.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the film, director Fernando Eimbcke said, “On Olmo, I was lucky enough to write the script with Vanesa Garnica, one of my best friends since we were 14 years old growing up in Mexico. We shared a love of music and John Hughes movies, and because of this, we had such a lovely shorthand.”
He added, “With Olmo, we wanted to portray the full spectrum of adolescence, including all the beauty and heartbreak that can come with it, as well as highlight the extraordinary circumstances that ordinary families face every day. Olmo comes from a deeply personal place within me.”
Writing for Deadline, critic Pete Hammond praised the film’s emotional impact, writing, “In these dark times, here is a film that shines a light and becomes urgent, even necessary, by simply providing a window into the humanity of a single family, one in many ways that is universal. Olmo gives us hope and lifts the heart.”
Watch the official trailer for Olmo above.
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