Berwick Film Society: Parallel Mothers (15)

Main House Theatre | 19 October 2022

With Almodóvar’s signature vibrancy we journey through the twists and connections in this engaging drama.

Two women at different ages and stages cross paths through shared circumstances. The parallel lies in the exposé of Spain’s buried legacy of fascism which bookends the narrative, pointing at the relevance of DNA to both past and present.

In direct contrast with scenes of sobriety, the story at times emulates a delicious Brazilian soap opera. Penélope Cruz carries the plot’s dynamics with style. The result is an absorbing dual narrative which Almodóvar interlinks with admirable aplomb.

Spain, 2021. 2hrs 3m. Dir: Pedro Almodóvar. Cast: Penélope Cruz, Milena Smit. Language: Spanish with English subtitles. Awards: 23 wins, 80 nominations. [Original title: Madres paralelas]

“A complex melodrama that brings depth to Almodóvar’s fearless women”

Clarisse Loughrey, The Independent

"Most of all, it’s Cruz who sets the tone, with a performance that radiates warmth and is refreshingly forgiving of her character’s flaws. She has never been better.”

Wendy Ide, The Observer

Berwick Film Society: Parallel Mothers (15)

With Almodóvar’s signature vibrancy we journey through the twists and connections in this engaging drama.

“A complex melodrama that brings depth to Almodóvar’s fearless women”

"Most of all, it’s Cruz who sets the tone, with a performance that radiates warmth and is refreshingly forgiving of her character’s flaws. She has never been better.”

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