Ariella (2025) Film Review: An Intense Heartbreaking Journey You Won't Forget

Ariella (2025)

Ariella, a hardworking young woman from São Paulo falls in love with a charming London businessman, only to be coerced into prostitution by him using the insidious "loverboy" approach.

Director and writer Michael Garsin explained his inspiration for the feature before the screening commenced. Sharing that he wanting to bring awareness and shine a light on the underbelly of human trafficking within London, having been exposed to the dangers of it online. Ariella is a gripping, heartbreaking feature that will leave you somewhat shattered by the shocking reality - Ariella left me wondering just how much goes on that we are ignorant of? 

Ariella stars Nadia Casula and Oliver Silver as our core characters, the centre of this features heartbeat is their relationship. What starts as a long distance love affair quickly turns into a nightmare as Ariella leaves her home in São Paulo and everyone she knows to be with Ben (Silver). We soon realise Ben’s family have other plans for Ariella, plans which manipulate and force her to make decisions she truly doesn’t want to make.

Ariella, now alone and isolated from her family is controlled and manipulated into abusive situations, all with the promise that Ben will marry her - once they accumulate enough money of course. Ariella is a soft character, Nadia Casula performed her beautifully, she was utterly broken and yet she was able to retain an element of fight behind her eyes. Oliver Silver was a strong supporting actor, he brought high emotional intensity to his role and I left the screening hating him - which says everything. Together, they were a strong glue holding this film together, they chemistry on screen was magnetic and the pair were believable and cast well. 

Ariella is a heavy feature, it shows you a part of the world you never wish to see. It forces you to watch uncomfortable and heartbreaking moments, a woman trapped and utterly in denial of her reality. The film explores explicit themes of abuse, entrapment, violence, murder, deceit, prostitution, human trafficking and more - the film often felt like a documentary, as though we were watching something real unfolding in front of our eyes. 

Overall, ‘Ariella’ is a deeply meaningful and educational story that simply must be shared. Although emotional draining, films that make you feel something are often the greatest to experience and there is no doubt that Ariella made me feel a range of emotions. From anger, fear, discomfort and relief - Ariella was a rollercoaster of emotions from beginning to end and it brings hope to the world of cinema and independent creatives. 

Lastly, I want to say thank you so much to the ‘Ariella’ team for inviting me to the films screening. The experience was unforgettable and ‘Ariella’ is a one of a kind feature that I haven’t been able to forget. 

Probe Points

★★★☆☆