Kazuo Ishiguro won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017. His 2021 novel Klara and the Sun is one of the most acclaimed books of the 2020s about artificial intelligence, even though it mentions technology only in passing. Now the novel has been made into a film, directed by New Zealand's Taika Waititi and starring Jenna Ortega. Klara and the Sun opens in Finnish cinemas on Friday 13 November 2026.
What is Klara and the Sun about?
The novel's narrator is Klara, a so-called Artificial Friend, whose purpose is to be a companion to a lonely child. The story begins in a shop where Klara stands in the window, watching passers-by and waiting for someone to choose her. Klara is exceptionally perceptive. She tries to understand people's feelings and gestures, but her interpretations are often touchingly off the mark.
At the centre of Klara's worldview is the sun. Solar-powered Klara believes the sun has healing powers and treats well those who deserve its care. In the novel, this belief becomes almost religious. Klara is willing to go to great lengths for the child she serves.
The power of Ishiguro's book lies in what is left unsaid. The reader understands more about the world surrounding Klara – genetically modified children, inequality and family secrets – than Klara does herself. According to JoBlo's description of the trailer, in the film Ortega's robot companion begins to unravel a mystery, suggesting the adaptation adds suspense to this structure.
Cast
Klara is played by Jenna Ortega, who rose to global fame with Netflix's Wednesday and has since taken increasingly varied film roles. Other roles are played by Amy Adams, Simon Baker, Natasha Lyonne and Steve Buscemi, along with New Zealand actors Michelle Ang, Antonia Prebble and Harry Greenwood. The other actors' character names had not been officially confirmed at the time of writing.
The screenplay was written by Waititi and Dahvi Waller (Mrs. America). According to Elokuvateatteri Star, Kazuo Ishiguro is also credited as a screenwriter. That is unusual, as the author has previously kept in the background of adaptations of his work.
Taika Waititi – an unexpected choice
Taika Waititi is known for playful, absurd humour. His films include the vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows, the Marvel film Thor: Ragnarok and the Oscar-winning satire Jojo Rabbit. Ishiguro's quiet, melancholic and precisely controlled prose seems at first glance the opposite of his style.
The choice is not entirely surprising, though. Jojo Rabbit showed that Waititi can tell a story from a child's perspective in which the adult world is cruel and incomprehensible. Klara and the Sun is built on the same premise: the narrator does not understand everything she sees, and that is precisely what makes the story so moving.
Early reception: divided
The film's first reviews have been mixed. JoBlo's review called the film disjointed and said that even Ortega cannot save it. JoBlo has also published a round-up of first audience reactions. A single review does not settle a film's quality, but viewers should be prepared for the adaptation not to capture the novel's atmosphere in every respect. We will give our own verdict only after seeing the film.
Who is the film for?
Klara and the Sun is not action science fiction. It is a drama in which the science-fiction elements serve as a backdrop to relationships, motherhood, the fear of loss and the question of whether a person can be replaced. For those who have read the novel, the film is interesting if only because showing Klara's inner world in images is such a difficult task. For those who have not, it may offer an easier way into Ishiguro's world.
KAVI has rated the film K12 in Finland because it may cause anxiety. The running time is 1 hour 57 minutes.
Analysis: an AI story at the right moment
When Ishiguro published his novel in 2021, AI companions were still science fiction. In 2026, conversational AIs are part of many people's everyday lives, and the question of attachment between machine and human has become a practical one. Klara and the Sun approaches this debate from a different direction than most AI films. It does not ask whether the machine will rebel against humans. It asks what we owe to beings whose only purpose is to love us.
If the film manages to convey even part of this, it is one of the autumn's most topical releases – even if critics are divided.
If you liked these, watch Klara and the Sun
- Never Let Me Go (2010) – another Ishiguro adaptation, in which a gentle story conceals a dark society.
- Her (2013) – Spike Jonze's film about attachment between a human and an AI.
- After Yang (2021) – Kogonada's quiet drama about a family's AI companion.
- Jojo Rabbit (2019) – Waititi's film that views a cruel world through a child's eyes.
Our expectations
We expect an interesting interpretation, but we are cautious. The power of Ishiguro's novel lies in Klara's narrative voice, and that is the hardest thing to translate to film. Waititi's humour may bring warmth to the story, but it could also break the novel's fragile atmosphere. Ortega has shown she is capable of restrained and precise acting, which is exactly what the role of Klara requires. The mixed early reviews show that the film is sparking debate. For lovers of the novel, it is in any case an experiment worth seeing.
Frequently asked questions
When is Klara and the Sun released in Finland?
It opens in Finnish cinemas on Friday 13 November 2026. The film is distributed in Finland by SF Studios.
What is the film based on?
The film is based on Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Klara and the Sun (2021).
Who plays Klara?
Klara is played by Jenna Ortega.
What is the age rating?
The film is rated K12 in Finland because it may cause anxiety. The running time is 1 hour 57 minutes.
This text is based on information published by the film's distributors, production companies and film media. Assessments and interpretations are our own and are not based on seeing the finished film unless stated otherwise.
