Is The Last Sunrise Based on a True Story?

Helmed by Carlson Young, ‘The Last Sunrise‘ follows Oriah “Ry” Pera, a young, free-spirited woman who wishes to make the most out of her life while battling a chronic health problem. When her overprotective mother, Isolde, gets transferred to the island of Mallorca in Spain’s Balearic archipelago, Ry is brought along. What begins as a journey into strange lands soon takes a romantic turn when she meets Juliàn García, a charming local who falls for her. As their relationship goes through its share of highs and lows, however, Ry’s battle with her condition begins to take a visible toll on her day-to-day life. In bringing these threads together, the romance coming-of-age film transforms into a meditation on love, family, and the transient nature of life itself.

The Last Sunrise is a Fictional Story Loosely Inspired by Anna Todd’s Personal Life

While ‘The Last Sunrise’ is a work of fiction adapted from Anna Todd’s novel of the same name and brought to screen by Anna Klassen, a core aspect of the story draws from the author’s personal life and experiences. More specifically, the main character Ry’s medical condition is based on the same genetic condition that Anna’s son has, tuberous sclerosis complex, or TSC. While Ry herself isn’t based on Anna’s son, Asher, writing about TSC proved to be a therapeutic experience for her. In a conversation with US Weekly, she also described the writing process as incredibly challenging at times, which she then balanced by adding a “wish fulfillment” aspect to the tale. “I feel like we all need some pretending we’re in a European country,” she explained, adding that this is also a story about love, family, and lots of travel.

In her appearance on the ‘Totally Booked with Zibby’ podcast, Anna also revealed that the novel actually started as a film concept, and that the decision to adapt it was already made before she even started writing. While Anna is best known for her romantic works, this time she wanted to incorporate a medical storyline, without either component overwhelming the other. “I didn’t wanna over, you know, do it to where people felt uncomfortable or it felt like too much sick lit,” she noted, while also expressing her desire to raise awareness about TSC, and simultaneously charm people with the romance aspects of the work. Anna also confirmed that the main character’s TSC is not as advanced as her son’s, but that doesn’t stop it from being a realistic depiction of the experience.

The Last Sunrise Draws From Anna Todd’s Visits to the Island of Mallorca

While writing the novel, Anna Todd delved deeper into tuberous sclerosis complex and her own family history, which ultimately prompted her to consult a doctor and undergo genetic testing. Through it, she came to learn that she carried the genetic variant associated with her son’s condition, which had a major effect on ‘The Last Sunrise.’ While playing with the narrative timelines, Anna slowly began integrating experiences from her real life into the novel, but for the most part, the plot and characters remain fictional. In her interview with ‘Totally Booked with Zibby,’ Anna also talked about how therapy has helped her deal with challenging phases of her life, and on some level, ‘The Last Sunrise’ achieves a similar effect.

Given how important travel is to the world of ‘The Last Sunrise,’ it is fitting that the picturesque island of Mallorca, located in Spain, serves as the primary setting both in the book and its film adaptation. While speaking with Majorca Daily Bulletin, Anna talked about how she has been to Mallorca twice and that experience has shaped her creative process. “The people are so warm, and there’s a comfort there that I find hard to explain; I felt instantly at home both times,” she added. During her second trip to the island, Anna began studying its rich history and cultural heritage, which in turn gives her work a deeply realistic feel. This is also continued in the film, which is largely filmed in Mallorca.

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