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A Mosquito in the Ear poster
7.8
Spirit Pictures Acclaimed

A Mosquito in the Ear

Nicola Rinciari's remarkable debut — a true-story cross-cultural adoption dramedy that won the Panavision Spirit Award at Santa Barbara, with Jake Lacy, Nazanin Boniadi and scene-stealing child actress Ruhi Pal.

2026 90 min NR
Critic7.8
Drama Comedy Family
Cinema Village (New York)
Trailer Where to Watch

Overview

Andrew and Daniela, an American couple, travel to Goa, India, to bring home their newly adopted four-year-old daughter Sarvari. But when Sarvari refuses to leave the only home she has ever known, their long-awaited journey unravels into an emotional, volatile and deeply human struggle — testing their patience, their marriage and their entire idea of family.
Story 8.0
Acting 8.5
Direction 7.5
Cinematography 7.8
Music 7.0
Pacing 7.5
Originality 8.5
Emotional Impact 8.5
Overall 7.8

Editorial Review

By FindEdition Cinema Desk

7.8 /10

Three remarkable performances

Jake Lacy and Nazanin Boniadi bring raw, unguarded chemistry as the increasingly frayed couple, but it is Ruhi Pal's Sarvari who stops the film in its tracks — a four-year-old child giving a performance of extraordinary natural authority.

Honest and unromanticised

Where other adoption narratives smooth over complexity, A Mosquito in the Ear goes straight into it — the cultural clash, the awkward privilege dynamics, the marital damage — without turning any of it into easy lesson or catharsis. It is admirably honest.

Pros

  • Ruhi Pal's extraordinary child performance
  • Lacy and Boniadi's raw, unguarded chemistry
  • Unromanticised and honestly observed adoption story
  • Panavision Spirit Award winner at SBIFF 2026
  • Strong critical reception (88% Rotten Tomatoes, 7.3 IMDb)

Cons

  • Currently in limited US theatrical release only
  • No digital streaming date confirmed yet
  • Small indie scale may limit reach
Verdict A quietly devastating and often very funny indie discovery — Nicola Rinciari's debut finds enormous truth in an intimate cross-cultural adoption story, anchored by Lacy, Boniadi and the remarkable Ruhi Pal in a genuinely unexpected and rewarding film.

AI Review

Nicola Rinciari's remarkable debut — a true-story cross-cultural adoption dramedy that won the Panavision Spirit Award at Santa Barbara, with Jake Lacy, Nazanin Boniadi and scene-stealing child actress Ruhi Pal.

A quietly devastating and often very funny indie discovery — Nicola Rinciari's debut finds enormous truth in an intimate cross-cultural adoption story, anchored by Lacy, Boniadi and the remarkable Ruhi Pal in a genuinely unexpected and rewarding film.

Catch it at Cinema Village in New York while it's in theatrical run — this is the kind of film that deserves a big screen audience.

Awards

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema · Won

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Opening Night Film · Official Selection

Brooklyn Film Festival

Opening Night Film · Official Selection

Timeline

Release Date
Theatrical Date
Premiere
Festival
Status
Development

In May 2024, Jake Lacy, Nazanin Boniadi and Ruhi Pal joined the cast, with Nicola Rinciari directing from his own adaptation of Andrea Ferraris' graphic novel Una Zanzara nell'Orecchio. Multiple production companies came on board for the US-India co-production.

Principal photography

Filmed on location in Goa, India — giving the film an authentic documentary-like visual texture. Principal photography concluded in India.

Festival & release

World premiere as Opening Night Film at SBIFF on February 4, 2026, where it won the Panavision Spirit Award. Persimmon acquired North American rights in March 2026. Screened at multiple US and international festivals before opening theatrically at Cinema Village, New York, on June 19, 2026.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema Won

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Opening Night Film Official Selection

Brooklyn Film Festival

Opening Night Film Official Selection

Production

Development

In May 2024, Jake Lacy, Nazanin Boniadi and Ruhi Pal joined the cast, with Nicola Rinciari directing from his own adaptation of Andrea Ferraris' graphic novel Una Zanzara nell'Orecchio. Multiple production companies came on board for the US-India co-production.

Principal photography

Filmed on location in Goa, India — giving the film an authentic documentary-like visual texture. Principal photography concluded in India.

Festival & release

World premiere as Opening Night Film at SBIFF on February 4, 2026, where it won the Panavision Spirit Award. Persimmon acquired North American rights in March 2026. Screened at multiple US and international festivals before opening theatrically at Cinema Village, New York, on June 19, 2026.

Streaming

Cinema Village (New York)

Cast

Jake Lacy Andrew
Nazanin Boniadi Daniela
Ruhi Pal Sarvari
Micky Singh Supporting role

Characters

Andrew Jake Lacy
Daniela Nazanin Boniadi
Sarvari Ruhi Pal
Supporting role Micky Singh

Crew

Nicola Rinciari Director
Nicola Rinciari Writer
Emily Dillard Producer
Darren Dean Producer
Ali K. Rizvi Producer
Frank Hall Green Producer
Stephen Stanley Producer
Jomon Thomas Producer
Sunitha Ram Producer
Kai Dickson Cinematographer
Devon Solwold Editor

Videos

Official Trailer

Soundtrack

  1. Original Score — To be confirmed
  2. Indian classical and folk music (featured) — Various

Trivia

  • The film is based on the true story of Italian graphic novelist Andrea Ferraris, who documented his and his wife's harrowing adoption journey from India in the autobiographical graphic novel Una Zanzara nell'Orecchio — meaning 'A Mosquito in the Ear' in Italian.
  • A Mosquito in the Ear was the Opening Night Film at the 41st Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) on February 4, 2026 — one of the most prestigious positions in the US independent film calendar.
  • It won the Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema at SBIFF 2026 — the festival's top honour for outstanding independent filmmaking.
  • North American distribution rights were acquired by Persimmon in March 2026 'in a competitive situation' — industry shorthand for a multi-buyer bidding war.
  • Jake Lacy is known for his Emmy-nominated performance in The White Lotus Season 1 (2021) and also appeared in All Her Fault (2026).
  • Nazanin Boniadi, who plays Daniela, is known for her roles in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Amazon), Hotel Mumbai (2018) and various Hollywood productions. She is also a prominent human rights activist.
  • This is Nicola Rinciari's feature directorial debut — the film was also an East Coast premiere as the Opening Night selection of the Brooklyn Film Festival.
  • The film holds a strong critical reception with an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes (based on available reviews) and an IMDb rating of 7.3 as of July 2026.

Quotes

"We came to bring her home. We didn't think about what home meant to her."

"This is not what we planned. Nothing about this is what we planned."

Goofs

  • Some background elements in the Goa street scenes reflect minor anachronisms inconsistent with the period suggested by certain character details.

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AI Recommendation Insight

Nicola Rinciari's remarkable debut — a true-story cross-cultural adoption dramedy that won the Panavision Spirit Award at Santa Barbara, with Jake Lacy, Nazanin Boniadi and scene-stealing child actress Ruhi Pal. Similar picks: Highly Rated Drama, Highly Rated Comedy

A Mosquito in the Ear