Honeyjoon is a 2025 dark comedy film written, directed, and produced by Lilian T. Mehrel, in her directorial debut. It stars Ayden Mayeri, Amira Casar and José Condessa. It premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 7, 2025. It has been released theatrically in North America with Utopia's Circle Collective, opening June 2026 and still playing 3 months and counting, becoming a theatrical phenomenon.
Premise
The film is a dark comedy with emotional depth and humor. It follows June and her Persian-British mother Lela, who travel to the Azores islands for a grief anniversary, each coping in different ways. Along the journey, a philosophical surfer guides them, weaving themes of life, loss, and connection into stories.
HONEYJOON is the winner of the biggest film production prize in the world, the Tribeca AT&T Untold Stories Award, for $1 million. It premiered at the Tribeca Festival and 50 festivals since, winning multiple awards.
It was developed at the TorinoFilmLab, ComedyLab and CineQuaNonLab, and won the SFFILM Rainin Grant.
Principal photography began in November 2024. In November 2024, Ayden Mayeri, Amira Casar and José Condessa joined the cast.
Release
The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 7, 2025.
It has been released theatrically in North America by Utopia's Circle Collective, opening June 2026 in NYC at the IFC Center, in LA, Chicago, TIFF in Toronto, and continues to play in theaters for 3 months and counting.
