A new biopic titled *Leonora in the Morning Light* chronicles the life of British surrealist painter Leonora Carrington, who fled her aristocratic upbringing in London to join the surrealist circle in Paris. The film, adapted from Elena Poniatowska's biographical novel, follows Carrington from her affair with the older Max Ernst through her mental health crisis in Spain and eventual settlement in Mexico, where she created art on her own terms. Olivia Vinall portrays Carrington with a fierce, uncompromising spirit, though the film is criticized for uneven storytelling and clunky dialogue.
This review matters because it highlights the ongoing effort to bring overlooked female surrealists into the cultural spotlight, decades after their male counterparts dominated art history. Carrington's posthumous auction record—her painting sold for over £22.5 million in 2024, making her the most valuable British-born female artist at auction—underscores the market's belated recognition of her significance. The film's shortcomings also raise questions about how biopics can adequately capture the complexity of artists who defied convention.