Julia Jackman’s 100 Nights of Hero is a very unique and beautifully shot movie about the revolutionary power of storytelling.
Director: Julia Jackman
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 90′
BFI London Film Festival Screening: October 19, 2025
U.S. Release Date: December 5, 2025
U.K. & Ireland Release Date: January 2026
Where to watch: In U.S. theaters and in U.K. and Irish cinemas
In a world where women’s sole purpose is to be good wives and produce heirs, Jerome (Amir El-Masry, of Giant) and Cherry (Maika Monroe, of Watcher) are given 101 days to get pregnant, or else Cherry will face the consequences. At the beginning of 100 Nights of Hero, Jerome has to travel for a lengthy business trip and leaves his innocent wife in his castle with her close friend and trusted maid Hero (Emma Corrin, of Nosferatu) and Jerome’s friend Manfred (Nicholas Galitzine, of The Idea of You). The latter starts behaving in a weird and overly friendly way towards Cherry and Hero is forced to step in with a distraction: telling a story about Rosa (Charli XCX) and her sisters.
The premise of the 100 Nights of Hero, based on a graphic novel of the same name, is fascinating and compelling. This is partially thanks to the originality of its setting, a world that we admittedly do not know too much about but that is similar enough to our own for its metaphors to land correctly with its audience. Its feminist themes also set the movie apart and are still, perhaps unfortunately, relevant in today’s world where women’s choices and reproductive rights are still too much in the hands of a few powerful men.
100 Nights of Hero is also shot very well, with a clever use of low key lighting that showcases a high contrast between lights and shadows to visually underline the darkest elements of this narrative. Lighting and cinematography also visually indicate the change from the movie’s narrative to the tale that Hero is telling. The story within the story works particularly well as its themes and characters mirror the ones in the main plotline. The film also manages to balance it very well with the primary narrative, without it overshadowing the latter, despite it being more interesting at times. Rosa’s story, and the key role that it plays in the film, also functions as a powerful metaphor for the revolutionary power of storytelling.
However, it often feels like 100 Nights of Hero is trying to do too much in just one film. While the two mirroring narratives balance each other fairly well, the movie introduces many themes and narrative elements without having the time to explore each of them properly. As a result, it can easily seem like a film with nothing to say, its message too convoluted to resonate with the audience who could very well spend the movie’s entire runtime looking for it.
The film also significantly struggles with its worldbuilding. From the visuals alone – a striking shot of three moons is one of the first images we see – the audience can immediately tell that 100 Nights of Hero is set on an entirely different planet, but we learn very little of it. The few elements of worldbuilding that the viewers do receive are all told through an expositionary voice-of-God voiceover whose sole purpose is to give us all the necessary information to understand this story. Not only does this become repetitive very quickly, but it is also easily forgettable and very passive for the audience to witness.
Despite its narrative and storytelling faults, 100 Nights of Hero is still a worthwhile movie for those who are fans of historical fantasy dramas. Its unique premise, feminist themes, and fascinating use of lighting definitely set the film apart, making it a remarkable attempt to condense so many topics and narrative in its 90-minute runtime.
100 Nights of Hero: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
In order to protect Cherry from the unwanted attention of her husband’s friend Manfred, her maid Hero starts telling stories as a distraction.
Pros:
- The premise and setting are very interesting and original.
- The overall message of storytelling as a powerful tool is also fascinating.
Cons:
- The movie is trying to do too much without really exploring any of its themes and narratives in depth.
- The voiceover is too expositionary at the beginning of the film.
100 Nights of Hero the Closing Night film at the 2025 BFI London Film Festival. The film will be released in U.S. theaters on December 5, 2025 by IFC Films and in UK & Irish cinemas in January 2026 by Vue Lumière.
