Under the
Mango Tree

In development

 

Feature-length film

 

Aaron Murphy, a thirty-two-year-old Londoner reeling from the fallout of his own uncontrollable anger, escapes to a gay wellness retreat in the mountains of Andalusia. But the retreat’s forced tranquillity only makes him feel more adrift — until he crosses paths with Pepe, a solitary elderly mango farmer living quietly on the hillside with his vulnerable brother, Julián.

 

Pepe speaks little English and carries the weight of a love lost decades earlier during Spain’s oppressive past. Aaron, still raw from the collapse of his relationship, finds himself drawn to the older man’s gentleness and silence. What begins as an awkward encounter slowly evolves into a fragile, unexpected bond forged through translation apps, shared cups of tea, and long stretches of stillness.

 

When Aaron stumbles upon clues about the man Pepe once loved — a painter who vanished under mysterious circumstances — the two embark on a tentative journey across Andalusia. From sun-bleached coastlines to the winding streets of Córdoba and Sevilla, they search for answers that might help both men confront the regrets they’ve carried alone for far too long.

 

Under the Mango Tree is a tender, intergenerational story about queer longing, exile, anger, and healing — and how two strangers can change each other’s lives in ways neither of them expects.