The first role of award-winning actress Florence Pugh is set to grace screens on BBC Two tonight (Friday, November 8) and will be available for free catch-up on BBC iPlayer for fans.

Having recently appeared in big-league productions such as Dune and Marvel, along with critically acclaimed historical dramas like Oppenheimer and Little Women, the English star has rapidly ascended to global fame.

Pugh also stars alongside Andrew Garfield in the anticipated romantic dramedy We Live in Time, which UK viewers can look forward to on New Year’s Day.

Yet prior to her international success, Pugh’s film debut came with the enigmatic mystery drama The Falling, featuring another notable name, Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams.

Set against the backdrop of 1969, The Falling unfolds the story of an all-girls school thrown into chaos by a mysterious fainting epidemic, subsequent to a tragic event, reports the Mirror.

It follows the gripping tale of pupils and a teacher who become entangled in this peculiar crisis, leading to an intense inquiry as they start experiencing unexplained fainting spells after one girl’s death.

While it didn’t make a significant impact at the box office originally, The Falling has since garnered a devoted cult following and offers an early glimpse at Pugh’s talents, making it a must-see for her ardent admirers.

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes have praised the film: “Well-acted and overall unsettling, The Falling delivers thought-provoking thrills – and suggests a bright future for writer-director Carol Morley.”

One viewer reflected the sentiment, stating, “The Falling has an eerie and unique story: a girls’ school in the late 60’s is the stage of an epidemic hysterical fainting.

“The strange phenomenon is a metaphor for the contagious sexual liberation that starts with the death of an emancipated girl. The movie is a melodrama with some subtle elements of the supernatural. Beautifully weird!”

Jordan Brooks of Vague Visages commented: “Morley pushes the film’s ‘mystery’ beyond any audience guessing games to a level of bewilderment above any useful analysis, leaving viewers in a state of excited shock.”

A glowing five-star review on Letterboxd hailed it as “a magnificent and distinctive film, and one of those films that will leave you thinking long after you’ve left the cinema.

“It’s a film that can be interpreted in several ways, and which relishes in its ambiguity. English realism crossed with a more experimental style and hints of folk horror make for a very distinctive atmosphere, perfect to complement the rich exploration of sexuality, anger, and grief.”

Another reviewer urged: “Everyone go see this – the landscapes, aesthetic and soundtrack are unbelievably beautiful and the acting is outstanding.

“It manages to honestly portray young female sexuality without sexualising the girls themselves and is one of the best representations of teenage girlhood I’ve seen.”

For those not out late on Friday, The Falling will air on BBC Two at 11.05pm. Films typically stay available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days post-broadcast.