| Parallel Mothers | |
|---|---|
![]() Theatrical release poster | |
| Spanish | Madres paralelas |
| Directed by | Pedro Almodóvar |
| Written by | Pedro Almodóvar |
| Produced by | Agustín Almodóvar |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine |
| Edited by | Teresa Font |
| Music by | Alberto Iglesias |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Entertainment Iberia |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 122 minutes |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
| Box office | $21.4 million[1] |
Parallel Mothers (Spanish:Madres paralelas) is a 2021 Spanishdrama film written and directed byPedro Almodóvar. The film centers on Janis, played byPenélope Cruz, and Ana (Milena Smit), who give birth on the same day in a hospital. Their lives become intertwined when Janis learns a shocking truth about her daughter's biological heritage. As the film explores their evolving relationships with their children, it also reflects on Spain's unresolved history, particularly the painful legacy of thecivil war and the search for missing bodies.Israel Elejalde,Aitana Sánchez-Gijón,Rossy de Palma, andJulieta Serrano co-star.
The film had its premiere on 1 September 2021 as the opening film of the78th Venice International Film Festival, where Cruz was awarded theVolpi Cup for Best Actress. It was released theatrically in Spain on 8 October 2021 bySony Pictures Releasing International, and was the closing film of the2021 New York Film Festival on the same day.[2] At the94th Academy Awards, the film received two nominations:Best Actress (Cruz) andBest Original Score (Iglesias).[3]
Photographer Janis Martínez does a photo shoot with renowned forensic anthropologist Arturo. She asks him if his foundation will help excavate amass grave in her home village, where her great-grandfather and other men from the village werekilled and buried during the Spanish Civil War. Arturo agrees to review the case with his foundation; he and Janis then sleep together and Janis becomes pregnant. She decides to keep the baby and raise it alone, against Arturo's wishes, whose wife is undergoing chemotherapy, but who wants to be with Janis.
Janis later shares a hospital room with Ana, a teen single mother; they give birth at the same time. After both babies are held for evaluation, they are released, and Janis and Ana go their separate ways. Janis and Ana stay in touch, keeping one another updated on their babies' progress. Arturo arrives one day asking to see baby Cecilia; he reacts strangely, confessing that he does not believe the baby is his. Janis does amaternity test, which reveals that she is not Cecilia's biological mother, but she decides not to tell anyone. She sacks herau pair.
Months later, Janis runs into Ana working at a cafe near her home; Ana has left her mother's home after her mother left to pursue acting on the road (although she employed a nanny for Ana). Janis invites Ana to her apartment, where Ana tearfully reveals that her baby Anita had suffered acrib death. Janis asks for a photo of Anita, which confirms her suspicions that theirbabies were swapped in the hospital.
Janis later offers Ana a job as a live-in maid, watching over the house and baby Cecilia. She collectssaliva samples from the two of them without telling Ana they are for a maternity test, the results of which confirm that Cecilia is Ana's daughter. Ana later reveals that her pregnancy was the result of agang rape by her classmates, and her father pressured her into staying silent to avoid negative press attention. The budding relationship between Janis and Ana develops into a sexual relationship, but Janis is unable to commit fully to Ana, who wants more from her.
Arturo arrives with news that his foundation has approved the excavation of the mass grave, and also that his wife has recovered from cancer and they are separating. He and Janis celebrate with a night out on the town, making Ana jealous. Ana's mother also comes by to reconnect with Ana, admitting to Janis that she feels like a terrible mother, but that she wanted so badly to pursue her dream as an actress.
Janis finally admits the truth to Ana, who reacts angrily and leaves in the night with Cecilia, to Janis' dismay. She calls Arturo and breaks the news to him as well; he spends the night with her, as they console each other. The next morning, Ana calls Janis, having calmed down, and says that Janis is still welcome to see Cecilia and be a part of her life.
Months later, Janis and Arturo travel to her home village, where he gathers information about the grave from surviving relatives and prepares for the excavation with his team. Ana later arrives with Cecilia, Janis revealing to her that she is three months pregnant. When asked what she will name the baby, Janis says Ana if it is a girl and Antonio (after her great-grandfather) if it is a boy. The excavation is a success, and the village gathers at the exhumed grave to honor their lost relatives.
In February 2021, it was announced thatPedro Almodóvar was ready to direct his new film, entitledMadres paralelas, with a cast headed byPenélope Cruz,Israel Elejalde,Julieta Serrano, andRossy de Palma.[7] On 12 March, it was reported that he intended to integrateAnya Taylor-Joy into the main cast,[8] but she did not end up appearing in the film.
Principal photography began on 12 March 2021 inMadrid,[9][10][11] and concluded on 22 April.[12] Shooting locations included Madrid,Torrelaguna, andTorremocha de Jarama.[13] Produced byEl Deseo and Remotamente Films AIE with the support ofRTVE andNetflix,Parallel Mothers also received funding from theICAA.[14]
On 4 February 2021,Pathé acquired the UK distribution rights to the film,[15] and, on 23 April 2021,Sony Pictures Classics acquired its North American, Australian, and New Zealand distribution rights.[16] The film had its world premiere at the78th Venice International Film Festival on 1 September 2021.[17] Distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment Iberia, it was intended to be theatrically released in Spain on 10 September 2021, but was postponed to 8 October.[18][19][20] It was released in the United States on 24 December 2021.[21] In the United Kingdom, it was released theatrically on 28 January 2022, and was the first film released under Pathé's new term deal withWarner Bros. Pictures, along withThe Duke, after their distribution agreement with Disney expired on 30 June 2021.[22]
The film's theatrical release poster, featuring a lactating nipple, was removed fromInstagram due to its rules regarding nudity. The decision was criticized by the "free the nipple" movement, leading to an apology from Instagram.[23]
Netflix acquired the exclusive distribution rights toParallel Mothers for the Latin-American region, aiming for an early 2022 release, even if theatrical openings were not ruled out at the time of the announcement.[24] In Argentina, the film premiered in select theatres on 3 February 2022, fifteen days prior to streaming.[25]
Prior to making this film, Almodóvar had typically avoided the Spanish Civil War as subject matter for his films.[26] In his own words, "It was as though Franco never existed."[26] One exception was a brief moment inLive Flesh (1997), in which a young prostitute (also played by Cruz) gives birth on the day in 1970 (December 4, 1970[27]) that Spain announced astate of exception further limiting citizens' rights.[26] In contrast, the script forParallel Mothers speaks explicitly of the need to confront Spain's past, with Almodóvar saying: "I speak through the voice of Penelope [Cruz]... She's speaking the truth about Spain," whereas Ana's resistance to examining that past is "almost like a cliché narrative for the right wing, which reveals that Ana is coming from a very conservative background."[26] An earlier draft of the script overtly gave Ana a background in the conservative Catholic groupOpus Dei.[26]
At its opening night world premiere, the film received a nine-minute standing ovation from Venice Film Festival attendees in the Sala Grande.[28] It was submitted to be the Spanish entry to the94th Academy Awards alongsideMediterraneo: The Law of the Sea andThe Good Boss, but the latter film was the final official selection.[29]
On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 96% of 232 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's consensus reads: "A brilliant forum for Penélope Cruz's talent,Parallel Mothers reaffirms the familiar pleasures of Almodóvar's filmmaking while proving he's still capable of growth."[30]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 88 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[31]
Filmmaker and playwrightFlorian Zeller praised the film, saying: "They are mothers, sisters or daughters, and with his incredible talent as a writer, which places his characters at the heart of his scenarios, Pedro Almodóvar builds complex emotional stories, missed appointments and intertwined destinies."[32]
The film appeared on many film critics' top ten lists for 2021.[33]
| Rank | Critic | Publication | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | David Rooney | The Hollywood Reporter | [34] |
| Ty Burr | N/a | [35] | |
| 5th | Stephanie Zacharek | The Times | [36] |
| 6th | Lovia Gyarkye | The Hollywood Reporter | [34] |
| Justin Chang | Los Angeles Times | [37] | |
| 8th | Carlos Aguilar | RogerEbert.com | [38] |
| 9th | Leah Greenblatt | Entertainment Weekly | [39] |
| Jason Shawhan | Nashville Scene | [40] | |
| 10th | N/a | Indiewire | [41] |
| Owen Gleiberman | Variety | [42] |
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venice International Film Festival | 11 September 2021 | Golden Lion | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | [43] |
| Queer Lion | Nominated | ||||
| Volpi Cup for Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Won | |||
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | 17 November 2021 | Score - Independent Film (Foreign Language) | Alberto Iglesias | Won | [44] |
| Forqué Awards | 11 December 2021 | Best Fiction or Animation Film | Nominated | [45] | |
| Best Film Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Cinema and Education in Values | Nominated | ||||
| Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | 18 December 2021 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Won | [46] |
| Best Music/Score | Alberto Iglesias | Won | |||
| National Society of Film Critics Awards | 8 January 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Won | [47] |
| Best Screenplay | Pedro Almodovar | Runner-up | |||
| Golden Globe Awards | 9 January 2022 | Best Foreign Language Film | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | [48] |
| Best Original Score | Alberto Iglesias | Nominated | |||
| San Diego Film Critics Society Awards | 10 January 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Won | [49][50] |
| Best Original Screenplay | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | |||
| Best Foreign Language Film | Won | ||||
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards | 10 January 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [51][52] |
| Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | ||||
| Austin Film Critics Association Awards | 11 January 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [53][54] |
| Best International Film | Nominated | ||||
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards | 16 January 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Runner-up | [55] |
| AACTA International Awards | 26 January 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [56][57] |
| Feroz Awards | 29 January 2022 | Best Drama Film | Agustín Almodóvar, Esther García | Nominated | [58] |
| Best Director | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress in a Film | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Film | Aitana Sánchez-Gijón | Won | |||
| Milena Smit | Nominated | ||||
| Best Original Soundtrack | Alberto Iglesias | Won | |||
| Best Trailer | Alberto Leal | Nominated | |||
| Best Poster | Javier Jaén (for the Poster A) | Won | |||
| London Critics' Circle Film Awards | 6 February 2022 | Actress of the Year | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [59][60] |
| 77thCEC Medals | 9 February 2022 | Best Film | Nominated | [61] | |
| Best Director | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Milena Smit | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine | Nominated | |||
| Best Score | Alberto Iglesias | Nominated | |||
| Goya Awards | 12 February 2022 | Best Film | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | [62][63] |
| Best Director | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Aitana Sánchez-Gijón | Nominated | |||
| Milena Smit | Nominated | ||||
| Best Cinematography | José Luis Alcaine | Nominated | |||
| Best Art Direction | Antxón Gomez | Nominated | |||
| Best Sound | Sergio Bürmann, Laia Casanovas, Marc Orts | Nominated | |||
| Houston Film Critics Society Awards | 19 February 2022 | Best Picture | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | [64] |
| Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Best Foreign Language Film | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | |||
| César Awards | 25 February 2022 | Best Foreign Film | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | [65] |
| Independent Spirit Awards | 6 March 2022 | Best International Film | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | [66] |
| BAFTA Awards | 13 March 2022 | Best Film Not in the English Language | Parallel Mothers | Nominated | [67] |
| Actors and Actresses Union Awards | 14 March 2022 | Best Film Actress in a Leading Role | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [68] |
| Best Film Actress in a Secondary Role | Aitana Sánchez-Gijón | Nominated | |||
| Dorian Awards | 17 March 2022 | Best LGBTQ Film | Nominated | [69] | |
| Best Non-English Language Film | Nominated | ||||
| Best Film Performance | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Satellite Awards | 2 April 2022 | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [70] |
| Best Original Screenplay | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Score | Alberto Iglesias | Nominated | |||
| Academy Awards | 27 March 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [3] |
| Best Original Score | Alberto Iglesias | Nominated | |||
| GLAAD Media Awards | 2 April 2022 | Outstanding Film – Limited Release | Parallel Mothers | Won | [71] |
| Fotogramas de Plata | 4 April 2022 | Best Spanish Film (according to readers) | Won | [72] | |
| Best Film Actress | Penélope Cruz | Won | |||
| Platino Awards | 1 May 2022 | Best Ibero-American Film | Nominated | [73][74] | |
| Best Director | Pedro Almodóvar | Nominated | |||
| Best Original Score | Alberto Iglesias | Won | |||
| Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Aitana Sánchez-Gijón | Won | |||
| Milena Smit | Nominated | ||||
| Art Direction | Antxón Gómez | Won | |||
| European Film Awards | 10 December 2022 | Best Actress | Penélope Cruz | Nominated | [75] |