Saturn Return 2024

Music

Drama

Box Office

$369K

Runtime

109 mins

Language

Spanish

Directed by

Isaki Lacuesta

Made by

Capricci Films

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Saturn Return Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Saturn Return (2024). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Granada, in the 20th century, opens with a man and a woman walking away from a ski slope. The man, Daniel Ibáñez, who performs as the singer, reproaches May for leaving Los Planetas. May begins to tell her side of the story, insisting that her account diverges from his. She recalls it from the perspective of the bassist Chesco Ruiz who played with her, and the memory of the member who eventually left the act. At 27 years old, when the others wanted to release an album, she simply wanted to depart.

The film then shifts to the band’s internal dynamics. The guitarist Cristalino strums a few chords as the two perform on a television show, backed by pre-recorded music, amid the guitarist’s struggles with substances. The group pushes forward as they dream of a third album, asking a reluctant Madrid label to finance a recording in New York City, while they search for a drummer and a bassist to complete the lineup. They manage to recruit the drummer, who mutters about what makes Granada’s musical scene so special, and the bassist’s presence begins to take shape.

As the days unfold, the guitarist’s mind slides between reality and fantasy after a gig, and a casual encounter with May—who has started a university degree—adds another layer to the saga, culminating in a hospital visit with the guitarist’s hands bandaged after a mishap. Even with a full lineup, the band wrestles with tight creative deadlines set by the label, and the guitarist hints that May didn’t leave because of the accident.

A defiant May reappears at the university, and their later terrace conversation reveals unresolved tensions about the future. Following a shared procession, the drummer and the guitarist press the singer about his plans for NYC, while the guitarist’s NYC visions continue to haunt him. To meet the looming deadlines, the guitarist proposes that the three of them withdraw into a secluded space to focus on their work, preparing to showcase tangible progress to the music executives.

The pressure intensifies as the singer is urged to push for a hit, with the blunt suggestion that he might have to leave the guitarist behind if they travel to New York. He reaches out to May to discuss the band’s progress, but he fails to convince her to rejoin the project. Eventually the singer travels to NYC without the guitarist, who has been taken to Madrid by Santa to enter rehab, leaving a memory that refuses to fade.

Haunted by the guitarist’s absence, the singer calls him to propose a reunion in NYC. The two finally meet again in the city, and the band records their third album, Una semana en el motor de un autobús. May receives a compact disc copy of the finished work, marking a bittersweet closure to a chapter defined by conflict, ambition, and the stubborn pull of Granada’s musical heart.

Saturn Return Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of Saturn Return (2024) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Departure and confrontation on the ski slope

A man and a woman walk away from a ski slope in Granada as he reproaches her for quitting the band Los Planetas. The moment frames the conflict that drives the retrospective story. She hints that what follows will be her version of events.

Granada

May's counter-narrative and the turning point

May recalls that the tour and band dynamics were different from what the singer believes. She notes that, at age 27, while the others wanted to release an album, she simply wanted to depart. This sets up the basis for her perspective on the split.

27 years old Granada

TV performance and the guitarist's troubles

The guitarist strums chords for the singer during a television appearance, while the performance relies on pre-recorded music. His escalating substance use adds tension as the team navigates the shot and the show’s expectations.

Madrid (television studio)

A move to record in New York

The singer and guitarist push for their third album to be recorded in New York City, despite the reluctance of the Madrid-based label. They argue that NYC represents the creative breakthrough they crave.

Madrid

Recruiting a drummer and a bassist

The band searches for a drummer and a bassist to complete the lineup. They eventually find a drummer who reflects on Granada's musical scene, adding local flavor to the new project.

Madrid

Guitarist's post-gig hallucinations

After a gig, the guitarist experiences hallucinations and fantasies about NYC and the band’s future. These visions reveal his fixation on the city and its promised success.

Live venue

May enters university and a chance meeting

May begins a university degree and has a casual encounter with the guitarist. The scene hints at unresolved feelings and competing paths for the two musicians.

University campus

A mishap lands the guitarist in hospital

A mishap after a gig leaves the guitarist in hospital with his hands bandaged. The incident interrupts the band’s momentum and raises questions about the timeline.

Madrid hospital

Full lineup and mounting deadlines

With a full lineup, the group struggles to meet creative deadlines and satisfy the label’s expectations. Tension grows as they push to deliver the promised third album.

Madrid

May's departure is not due to the accident

The guitarist insists that May did not leave because of the accident or its fallout. This challenges the singer’s or viewer’s assumptions about the band’s breakup.

Studio

Confrontation on the university terrace

The singer meets with a defiant May at the university, and they share a cigarette on a terrace. The conversation reveals tensions and unresolved feelings about the band’s future.

University terrace

Procession, talks of NYC, and questions about the plan

After attending the same procession, the drummer and guitarist discuss the feasibility of NYC plans. They challenge whether their creative deadlines and the move to NYC are truly attainable.

Granada

A plan to seclude and finish the work

The guitarist proposes that the trio seclude themselves to focus on meeting the album’s deadlines. The idea signals a decisive shift toward intense, uninterrupted work.

Rehearsal space

Executives see progress and pressure for a hit

The group presents their progress to the label’s executives, who push the singer to deliver a hit. They also hint that the singer might have to leave the guitarist behind if NYC becomes the path forward.

Label office, Madrid

NYC trip, rehab, memory, reunion, and album release

The singer heads to NYC without the guitarist, who is sent to Madrid for rehab. The guitarist’s memory haunts the singer, who reaches out to invite a reunion in NYC. They eventually meet again in NYC and record the third album, Una semana en el motor de un autobús, with May later receiving a compact disc copy of the album.

New York City; Madrid

Saturn Return Characters

Explore all characters from Saturn Return (2024). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

El cantante - Daniel Ibáñez

The singer anchors the band's ambitions, pressed by the label to deliver a hit while wrestling with the guitarist's turbulent lifestyle. He navigates personal memories of May and the idea of NYC as a make-or-break opportunity, often balancing performance with responsibility. His choices drive the plot as he contemplates reuniting the band for the third album.

🎤 Lead 🎭 Frontman

May - Stéphanie Magnin

May embodies the break and reflection within the group. She challenges the band's path and pursues other ambitions, such as university studies, offering a counterpoint to the singer's push. Her recounting shapes the audience's understanding of events and the band's history.

✨ Lead 🔎 Narrator

El guitarrista - Cristalino

The guitarist is the creative engine but also plagued by substance abuse and erratic visions. His presence drives the band's ambition, yet his fragile state complicates the recording process. His memories and fantasies inform the emotional core of the story.

🎸 Guitarist

El batería - Mafo

The drummer joins the search for a full lineup and provides rhythmic balance to the band's trials. He engages with the group's plan to reach NYC and keep the music alive, while confronting the pressures of deadlines.

🥁 Drummer

El bajista - Chesco Ruiz

The bassist is part of the live performances that May describes, contributing to the band's groove and chemistry. He represents the practical side of keeping a band together while creative tensions simmer beneath the surface.

🎵 Bassist

El productor - Julen Clarke

The producer drives the recording process and tests the band's willingness to shape their sound for commercial success. He embodies industry influence and the pressure to deliver market-ready material.

🎚️ Producer

Jérôme - Jan Caplin

Jérôme appears as a figure connected to the band’s world, representing the interpersonal or professional network surrounding the group.

👨‍💼 Manager

Saturn Return Settings

Learn where and when Saturn Return (2024) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

20th century

The narrative unfolds in the 20th century, tracing a Granada-based rock group as they navigate a changing music industry. It juxtaposes live performances, television appearances, and a bid to record an album in New York City. The era's cultural climate shapes the band's ambitions and the push-pull between art and commerce.

Location

Granada

Granada, in southern Spain, serves as the film’s backdrop. The story centers on its intimate, local music scene and the venues where the band rehearses and performs. The opening sequence places the characters after a ski slope, signaling the clash between personal drama and the pressures of a music career.

🇪🇸 Spain 🎵 Music scene 🏔️ Mountain town

Saturn Return Themes

Discover the main themes in Saturn Return (2024). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

🎨

Creativity

Creativity wrestles with the pressure to deliver a commercial hit and to meet deadlines set by the record label. The guitarist's struggles with substance use and the singer's drive to finish a song illustrate how artistic vision collides with industry demands. As the band plans to record in New York, creative decisions become pivotal. The tension reshapes how each member views their art and their future.

🧭

Memory

Memory frames the narrative as May recounts events from her perspective, offering a version that may differ from others' accounts. The bassist performing with her back to the audience adds a layer of subjectivity and distance from the band's dynamics. The guitarist's hallucinations and reminiscences blur lines between reality and fantasy. The memory of the guitarist and the past influences the decision to reunite for the NYC project.

👥

Band Dynamics

Interpersonal dynamics drive the plot: May's departure, the search for a drummer and bassist, and the producer's push. The group navigates pressure from the label and the lure of recording in NYC. Tensions, loyalties, and creative disagreements shape who stays with the band. The final decision to reunite or not tests each member's commitment to the music.

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Saturn Return Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of Saturn Return (2024). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the gritty yet vibrant music scene of Granada, a restless rock trio stands on the brink of a defining moment. Their dream of a third album carries the weight of both hope and desperation, as the band wrestles with a record label that doubts their ambition to record in the chaotic heart of New York City. The city itself pulses with creative energy, its streets echoing with the raw sounds of a generation yearning for something larger than the familiar cafés and rehearsal rooms that have housed their rise so far.

At the core of the group is Daniel, the charismatic front‑man whose voice has become the band’s signature. Beside him, May oscillates between loyalty and longing, her presence threading a delicate love triangle that threatens to fray the fragile bonds among the members. The rhythm section is anchored by Chesco, a bassist whose steady pulse masks his own uncertainties, while Cristalino, the guitarist, channels both brilliance and self‑destruction through a volatile mix of inspiration and substance use. A newly recruited drummer adds a fresh, restless beat, completing a lineup that feels both promising and precariously balanced.

The atmosphere surrounding their quest is thick with ambition, anxiety, and the intoxicating promise of a breakthrough that could echo across an entire generation. The label’s looming deadlines press like a metronome, while personal desires and creative egos clash in a storm of music, love, and excess. In this charged environment, the band teeters between unity and fragmentation, each rehearsal and conversation hinting at a masterpiece that might finally capture the restless spirit of their time—if they can hold together long enough to bring it to life.

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