At the world premiere of ‘Klara and the Sun’ during the London Film Festival, star Jenna Ortega shared her hopes that the dystopian film will serve as a gentle wake-up call for audiences to ditch their screens and focus on real-life connections. Clad in a stunning yellow lace dress, Ortega emphasized the importance of being present and appreciating the people standing right in front of us. Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling novel, the film casts Ortega as Klara, a unique computer-made companion purchased for an ailing girl. Ortega explained that unlike typical digital helpers that pull data from the web, Klara learns by observing the actual world, bringing a clumsy, toddler-like warmth to the role. Director Taika Waititi echoed the film’s core message, urging viewers to remember what real friendship is and to simply ‘be’ in the moment. At the star-studded red carpet, co-star Amy Adams noted how different viewers take away unique meanings from the story, while author Ishiguro revealed the movie sidesteps typical sci-fi fears of machines turning malicious. Instead, it focuses on genuine human warmth. Ishiguro also spilled the beans on a secret, quirky new film project he is co-writing with director Tim Burton, whom he describes as a neighbor with a wonderfully wacky house. ‘Klara and the Sun’ hits theaters on October 23.
