What if your only friend wasn’t just imaginary… but photosynthesizing?
Mabel, the offbeat new indie from Nicholas Ma, leans into that strange, uncomfortable space between loneliness and imagination, and lets it grow into something far more unsettling.
The film follows Callie, a socially awkward pre-teen who doesn’t quite connect with anyone her age. Instead, her closest companion is Mabel… a plant. Things take a turn when her teacher, Ms. G, introduces the class to the controversial idea of plant intelligence, opening the door to something that feels equal parts fascinating and quietly unhinged.
Desperate to prove herself (and maybe validate her unusual bond), Callie builds a secret backyard greenhouse. But as her obsession takes root, it begins to choke everything else in her life, putting her at odds with her mother and threatening her first real shot at human connection.
The cast is anchored by Judy Greer, alongside Christine Ko, Lexi Perkel, Quincy Dunn-Baker, and Lena Josephine Marano, bringing emotional weight to a story that could’ve easily gone full quirky but instead leans into something more grounded and quietly intense.
Written by Joy Goodwin and Ma, Mabel feels like a coming-of-age story filtered through isolation, obsession, and the human need to be understood, even if that understanding comes from something that can’t talk back.
Not quite horror, not quite drama, but definitely a little off, Mabel looks like the kind of film that sneaks up on you.
MABEL — Coming to digital April 21, 2026, from Tribeca Films.
