All About Mothers

All About Mothers

Year: 2018

Runtime: 101 mins

Language: French

Director: Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar

DramaComedy

These women are complex and multifaceted, exhibiting a wide range of behaviors and emotions – from possessiveness and indulgence to fragility and strength. They might be present and supportive, or feel distant and overwhelming, sometimes sharp and witty, other times struggling to cope. Whether alive or cherished as memories, these mothers are the focus, and it's their moment to shine.

Bittersweet
Bittersweet ending
Emotionally heavy
Medium intensity
Steady pacing
Moderate complexity

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – All About Mothers (2018)

Explore the full timeline and setting of All About Mothers (2018). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

late 1990s

Events unfold in the late 1990s, a period of social change in Spain where conversations about gender, sexuality, and AIDS-era illnesses were becoming more visible. The era's backdrop influences how characters conceal or reveal their identities and navigate relationships. Medical advances, like organ transplants, intersect with personal stories of love, loss, and resilience.

Location

Madrid, Barcelona, A Coruña

Set across Madrid, Barcelona, and A Coruña, the story moves from a major Madrid hospital to intimate Barcelona streets and backstreets. The cityscape doubles as a medical stage and a place of secret meetings, emotional reunions, and search for family. Each location anchors a different thread of Manuela's journey—from the hospital's transplant procedures to Lola's theatre world and Rosa's shelter.

🌆 Urban Spain 🏥 Hospital setting 🎭 Theatre & Arts 🗺️ City life

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

Main Characters – All About Mothers (2018)

Meet the key characters of All About Mothers (2018), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Manuela

An Argentine nurse who oversees donor transplants at a Madrid hospital and a devoted single mother to Esteban. Her love drives her to cross borders and secrets to protect him, and her journey pulls her into Lola, Rosa, Huma, and Agrado's circle. She navigates a web of friendships and sacrifices that redefine what family can be. Her resilience and compassion anchor the film's emotional core.

💪 Strong 🩺 Medical 👩‍👦 Mother 🌍 Multicultural

Esteban

Manuela's teenage son who dreams of becoming a writer. He is tragically killed in a car accident on his 17th birthday while chasing an autograph from Huma Rojo. His death acts as a catalyst for the transplant and the subsequent creation of a broader family. The storyline later continues through the memory of Esteban as Manuela adopts Rosa's son bearing his name.

🧒 Son ✍️ Writer-in-progress 💔 Tragic

Lola

A transgender woman and Esteban's other mother who is dying of AIDS and has always longed for a son. She reunites with Manuela and becomes a central figure in the extended family she forms with Huma, Agrado, and Rosa. Her relationship with Manuela and Esteban unfolds as a profound thread about love, loss, and chosen family.

🏳️‍🌈 Transgender 👩‍👦 Mother figure 💔 Illness

Huma Rojo

A famous actress who performs Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. She forms a friendship and romantic bond with Nina, and she becomes a supportive figure for Manuela within the theatre world. Her presence links the film's artifice with intimate, vulnerable human moments.

🎭 Actress 👭 Friend ❤️ Romance

Agrado

A warm, witty transgender sex worker and longtime friend who provides humor, candor, and steadfast support. She serves as a touchstone within the chosen family Manuela builds, helping to bridge worlds of work, love, and identity.

🌈 Transgender 🤝 Friend 🎭 Performer

Nina Cruz

Huma's co-star and lover, a heroin addict whose crisis destabilizes personal relationships but also reveals the depth of loyalty within the circle. Her struggles illuminate the consequences of addiction within a community of artists and friends.

💊 Addiction 🎭 Actress ❤️ Love

Rosa

A HIV-positive nun who works in a shelter for battered sex workers and is pregnant with Lola's child. She dies giving birth, catalyzing Manuela's return to Lola and the eventual shaping of a new family. Her presence marks a turning point in the film's exploration of life, faith, and motherhood.

✝️ Faith 🧬 HIV/AIDS 👶 Mother-to-be

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

Major Themes – All About Mothers (2018)

Explore the central themes of All About Mothers (2018), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

👩‍👧 Motherhood

Manuela's fierce love for Esteban drives every choice she makes. The film expands the idea of motherhood beyond biology, showing a mother who protects, sacrifices, and fights for her children's future. Lola's longing to be a mother and the eventual adoption of Rosa's son emphasize that family is built through care, not just blood. The narrative threads multiple maternal bonds—biological, adoptive, and chosen—into one interwoven story.

🌈 Identity

Lola's transgender identity and her relationship with Manuela, Huma, and Agrado challenge conventional family structures. The characters form a chosen family that supports each other through secrecy, stigma, and illness. The film treats gender and sexuality with empathy and complexity, avoiding simple tragedy and instead offering resilience. The theatre world also mirrors these themes, as performance becomes a space for self-expression.

🩺 Illness

AIDS and HIV shape the emotional landscape of the story: Rosa's pregnancy, Lola's illness, and the death that follows influence every decision. Medical events—transplants, pregnancy, and care for the vulnerable—highlight the fragility of life and the power of care. The film uses illness to catalyze the creation of family beyond blood ties.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about grief and found family like All About Mothers

Stories of profound loss that lead to the unexpected formation of new families.Discover movies like All About Mothers that explore the painful journey of grief and the healing power of found family. These films balance heartbreaking sadness with hopeful human connection, offering stories of resilience and redefined relationships after loss.

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Narrative Summary

These narratives typically begin with a devastating, life-altering loss that shatters the protagonist's world. The story then follows their search for meaning or connection, leading them to a new group of people who become their support system. The central conflict involves processing grief while learning to accept and build new forms of love and family.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread share a focus on the raw, human experience of loss and the non-linear path to recovery. They are united by a bittersweet tone, a steady, character-driven pace, and an emotional core that balances the weight of grief with the light of newfound connection and responsibility.

Movies about complex motherhood like All About Mothers

Character studies of multifaceted mothers and the many forms of maternal love.If you liked All About Mothers, explore these movies that delve into the complexities of motherhood. These character-driven dramas feature multifaceted mothers dealing with challenges like grief, addiction, and redefining family, often with a bittersweet and reflective tone.

compassionateheartfeltreflectivemelancholicresilientcomplex charactersemotional

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern revolves around a deep character study of one or more maternal figures. The plot is often driven by internal or external challenges that test their strength and redefine their understanding of family. The journey examines the full spectrum of maternal experience—from overwhelming love and sacrifice to personal struggle and the need for self-discovery.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together by their primary focus on the theme of motherhood, portrayed with realism and emotional depth. They share a compassionate, character-driven approach, a steady pace that allows for reflection, and a tone that acknowledges the bittersweet complexities of life and caregiving.

Unlock the Full Story of All About Mothers

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All About Mothers Summary

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All About Mothers Summary

All About Mothers Timeline

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All About Mothers Timeline

All About Mothers Spoiler-Free Summary

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All About Mothers Spoiler-Free Summary

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