Expecting a Miracle (2009) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The story takes place in Dommatina, a fictional Mexican village. The town features a central square where the annual fiesta takes place, and it's known for its rickety flying contraption used during the festival. The community is tightly knit, relying on faith, family, and mutual aid.

• dommatina
• mexican village
• setting
• mexico
• fiesta

The film explores three core themes: Miracle, which centers on faith and unexpected healing; Sacrifice, showing how the couple chooses others' needs over personal desires; and Tradition, rooted in the village's cultural rituals like the flying ceremony and saint legends.

• faith
• miracle
• sacrifice
• tradition
• themes

The central couple is Pete and Donna Stanhope, a marriage struggling with infertility who travel to Mexico. They meet Pepillo, a crippled boy who believes in a local saint, along with Father Arturo the village priest, Juan the mechanic, and Magdalena who cares for the community's children.

• pete stanhope
• donna stanhope
• pepillo
• father arturo
• characters

The miracle refers to Pepillo's leg healing after the dangerous flying machine flight. It represents the power of community faith and support, challenging doubt and belief simultaneously. The event reshapes what the characters consider possible and transforms their understanding of family.

• pepillo healing
• miracle
• faith
• belief

Tradition drives the narrative through Dommatina's annual fiesta and the flying-contraption ceremony tied to a local saint and dove legend. These rituals create the backdrop for personal change, connecting community heritage to the characters' emotional transformations and hopeful future.

• fiesta
• tradition
• ceremony
• village customs

Pete Stanhope is a practical, engineering-minded husband portrayed by Jason Priestley. Initially struggling with infertility, he grows through his willingness to sacrifice for others. He uses his skills to repair the village's flying machine and ultimately chooses family over personal gain, embracing adoption and a larger family.

• pete stanhope
• jason priestley
• engineer
• husband

Donna Stanhope is the hopeful and caring wife played by Teri Polo. She faces infertility with resilience and supports Pete throughout their journey. Her character shifts from pursuing medical fertility treatments to prioritizing Pepillo's wellbeing, eventually leading to both adopting Pepillo and unexpectedly becoming pregnant herself.

• donna stanhope
• teri polo
• wife
• infertility

Pepillo Salazar is a crippled yet hopeful boy played by Kevin Hernandez whose belief in the village saint propels the central drama. He forms a bond with Pete and Donna, longing for a miracle to cure him. His accident and subsequent recovery become the catalyst for the couple's transformation and their decision to give him a future in the U.S.

• pepillo salazar
• kevin hernandez
• crippled boy
• belief

Father Arturo is the village priest portrayed by Cheech Marin who helps organize the fiesta and oversees the flying ceremony. He supports Pepillo's belief in the saint and provides spiritual context for the miracle. He embodies the merging of faith, tradition, and community in Dommatina.

• father arturo
• cheech marin
• priest
• village priest
• fiesta

Sacrifice is shown through Pete giving up a crucial car part to ensure the flying machine works safely, and the couple redirecting their fertility money to fund Pepillo's potential surgery. These choices represent their transformation from self-interest to genuine family commitment.

• sacrifice
• car part
• fertility money
• transformation

The flying contraption is a rickety flying machine used during Dommatina's annual festival. It represents the town's blend of tradition and ingenuity. The dangerous flight during the fiesta becomes the pivotal event that leads to Pepillo's miraculous healing, connecting the community's cultural practice to the central miracle.

• flying machine
• fiesta
• village tradition
• flight