JIFF25: Eleanor the Great

Australian premiere 

After a devastating loss, Eleanor, a sassy, wise-cracking 94-year-old, moves from Florida to New York City to live with her daughter Lisa and grandson Max. To encourage her out of the house, Lisa suggests Eleanor visit the local Jewish community centre to make some new friends. There, Eleanor accidentally winds up in a Holocaust support group where she tells a moving story of survival and resilience. But there’s one small problem – the story isn’t hers. 

June Squibb (Nebraska, Thelma) is perfectly cast to bring this bold and brassy nonagenarian to life. At the heart of the film is a charming intergenerational friendship between Eleanor and Nina, a young journalism student who’s inspired to write an article about Eleanor’s story. This heartwarming comedy marks an assured debut in the director’s chair from Scarlett Johansson, exploring themes of ageing, truth, loss and our human impulse to tell stories.