Senior Selections: Parallel Mothers

In a hospital room, two women meet, both in labour for the first time, single and pregnant by accident. Janis (Penélope Cruz) is thrilled by her pregnancy, with no regrets as a middle-aged woman. The other, Ana (Milena Smit), is a scared and traumatised teenager. Finding comfort and a strong bond in their mutual experience, the two women soon begin a friendship that develops and changes their lives in striking, devastating and decisive ways. One of Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers, Pedro Almodóvar (All About My Mother, Pain and Glory) returns to the feminine universe to passionately explore the complications of motherhood, friendship and family history.