Filmmaker Lilian T. Mehrel is inviting audiences on what she calls a “thrill ride of laughter and emotion” with her feature debut, Honeyjoon — a darkly funny, deeply human story about grief, healing, and the strange ways love survives loss.
After premiering at the 2025 Tribeca Festival in New York, the film is now set for its European premiere at Tribeca Festival Lisboa in Lisbon, Portugal.
A Story of Grief, Love, and Light
Honeyjoon follows Lela, a Kurdish-Persian mother played by Call Me By Your Name actress Amira Casar, and her American daughter June, portrayed by Ayden Mayeri, as they embark on a trip to Portugal’s romantic Azores islands on the one-year anniversary of a major family loss.
What begins as a quiet memorial vacation soon becomes an emotional journey of reconnection — between mother and daughter, and with life itself.
“To me, the film is connected not just to the waves of grief, but grief plus life,” Mehrel told The Hollywood Reporter. “Lela is on the dark side — she connects through her pain, while June is running toward the light, trying to feel alive again.”
Their contrasting ways of coping with loss drive the story, which takes a turn when they meet João, a charming yet philosophical local tour guide played by Portuguese star José Condessa. As the trio explore the island, Honeyjoon transforms into a celebration of life, memory, and rediscovery.
A Roller Coaster of Emotion
For Mehrel, balancing grief and humor was at the heart of the filmmaking process.
“What I love to do is take audiences on a roller coaster ride of laughter and emotion,” she said.
And that emotional ride has resonated powerfully with festival audiences. Mehrel recalls watching viewers laugh, fall silent, and cry together during screenings.
“You feel hundreds of people in the audience share that inside joke of being human. It’s indescribable,” she said.
At its core, Honeyjoon isn’t about prescribing how one should grieve — it’s about acknowledging that there’s no single right way to heal.
“This film is not saying there’s a right way to grieve,” Mehrel explained. “It’s saying this is what it feels like to be alive.”
From Pitch to Premiere: A Race Against Time
Mehrel’s journey to making Honeyjoon was its own roller coaster. The project was born after she won Tribeca’s 2024 Untold Stories competition, which awarded her $1 million to make the film.
However, the prize came with one major challenge: she had to complete the film within a year to qualify for the following Tribeca Festival.
“I won, and it was just me, my script, and a producer,” Mehrel recalled. “Everything else — the cast, the crew, the locations — had to come together within months.”
With Portuguese producer Andreia Nunes and her team at Wonder Maria, Mehrel assembled a cast that included Casar, Mayeri, and Condessa, and shot the film across the lush landscapes of the Azores.
“Everybody really came together and put their talent, their hard work, and their love into this film,” Mehrel said. “I’m extra excited to bring it back to Portugal and share it with the people who helped make it.”
A Celebration of Life Through Art
Developed through the TorinoFilmLab’s ComedyLab and Cine Qua Non Storylines Lab, Honeyjoon is a U.S.–Portugal co-production that beautifully merges the two cultures — emotionally and visually.
With its mix of dark humor, tender moments, and breathtaking coastal scenery, the film invites viewers to find joy even in the shadow of sorrow.
Final Words
With Honeyjoon, Lilian T. Mehrel has created more than just a film — she’s crafted an experience that captures what it means to be human.
Through laughter, tears, and the messy in-between, her story reminds us that grief and life are not opposites but part of the same rhythm — one that keeps us moving, feeling, and finding light even after loss.
