Two women meet in a maternity ward: Janis (Penélope Cruz) is a middle-aged photographer who fell pregnant after a fraught one-night stand, while Ana (Milena Smit) is a single teenager. When Janis and Ana give birth on the same day, their lives become inextricably linked as they navigate new motherhood.
In true Pedro Almodóvar style, colourful melodrama quickly surfaces deeper truths and traumas as both women find themselves confronting secrets past and present. Parallel Mothers was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Actress (Cruz) and Best Original Score.
‘…a movie of infinite tenderness, that rare ode to motherhood that acknowledges mothers as women first and mothers second’ – Time
Closed Captions available
Part of Mothers & Melodrama: a spotlight on the rich collaboration between acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar and actor Penélope Cruz. A discounted four-film pass is available for screenings of All About My Mother (1999), Volver (2006), Parallel Mothers (2021) and I’m So Excited! (2012). Learn more
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