The Real Story Behind 27 Nights: True Events or Pure Fiction?

Part truth, part fever dream, 27 Nights reimagines Natalia Zito’s 2021 biographical fiction Veintisiete noches for the screen, with Daniel Hendler at the helm and co-writing the script.

Here is one that sneaks up on you: an Argentine dramedy about power, family, and whether the people telling you what is best for you actually know anything at all. 27 Nights (aka 27 noches) premiered at San Sebastian and heads to Netflix next year, and it has that quietly thorny, based-on-real-life edge I love.

What it is

27 Nights centers on Martha Hoffman, an eccentric, well-off older woman whose daughters decide her behavior is unstable and have her committed to a psychiatric clinic. The movie filters Martha's case through the perspective of a court-appointed authority named Casares, who has to determine if Martha truly needs institutional care or if other agendas are at play. Heavy subject, lightly handled: it is a serious story told with a measured touch and a little dry humor tucked into the corners.

The real-life thread

Yes, it is rooted in true events. The film is adapted from Natalia Zito's 2021 biographical-fiction novel Veintisiete noches. Like the book, the movie takes an interpretive approach: certain specifics are dramatized, some characters are fictionalized, but the core situation comes from reality.

Who made it (and who is in it)

Daniel Hendler directs and also shows up on screen, which is a fun bit of inside baseball for anyone who follows Argentine film. He co-wrote the script with Martín Mauregui, Agustina Liendo, and Mariano Llinás. Marilú Marini leads the cast as Martha, with Hendler, Humberto Tortonese, Julieta Zylberberg, Paula Grinszpan, and Carla Peterson rounding things out.

Festival stop and the Netflix plan

The film had its world premiere at the 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival. After the festival lap, it is headed to Netflix worldwide on October 17, 2025. Standard Netflix rules apply: you will need a subscription, and you can expect the original Spanish audio with multiple subtitle options and likely some dubs.

Quick specs

• Title: 27 Nights (27 noches)
• Country: Argentina
• Language: Spanish
• Genre: Drama with a subtle comedic streak
• Director: Daniel Hendler
• Writers: Daniel Hendler, Martín Mauregui, Agustina Liendo, Mariano Llinás
• Based on: Veintisiete noches by Natalia Zito, inspired by true events
• Main cast: Marilú Marini (Martha Hoffman), Daniel Hendler, Humberto Tortonese, Julieta Zylberberg, Paula Grinszpan, Carla Peterson
• Runtime: 107 minutes
• World premiere: 73rd San Sebastian International Film Festival
• Streaming: Netflix (global) on October 17, 2025

If you are into messy family dynamics, questions of autonomy, and a filmmaker who can poke at serious themes without turning the whole thing into a dirge, put this one on your October list.