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Timeline

Julieta (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2016 · 99 min · Spanish
Directed by
Pedro Almodóvar
Starring
Susi Sánchez, Inma Cuesta, Pilar Castro, Darío Grandinetti, Adriana Ugarte, Daniel Grao

Haunted by memories of a past relationship and her daughter's absence, Julieta lives a quiet life in Madrid. As her daughter Antía prepares to leave for university, Julieta is determined to mend their fractured bond. However, a sudden departure forces Julieta to confront a painful truth: Antía’s life has been built on a carefully constructed lie, and Julieta's understanding of her own child is far from complete. She then begins a journey to uncover the secrets that have kept them apart.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Julieta
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Julieta (2016)

Where can you watch Julieta? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Tubi TV, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Julieta Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Julieta (2016) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Beatriz encounter leads Julieta to stay in Madrid

    Julieta, initially planning to move to Portugal with Lorenzo, runs into Beatriz on a Madrid street and learns Antía is living in Switzerland with three children. The news unsettles her and she abandons departure plans to stay near Antía. She rents an apartment in the same building where Antía was raised, hoping to keep a line of contact open.

    When
    Present day, after learning Antía's location
    Where
    Madrid, Spain
  2. Julieta starts a life journal to explain her past

    Anticipating a future explanation to Antía, Julieta begins filling a journal with her life as mother, wife, and daughter. She uses it to frame the events that led to their separation and to bear the burden she keeps from her daughter. The act marks a turning point in her attempt to process her past before any direct contact.

    When
    Present day, after deciding to stay
    Where
    Madrid, Spain
  3. The train encounter: Julieta meets Xoan and falls into a romance

    In a flashback, Julieta meets Xoan on a train after fleeing from an older man. He speaks of his life as a fisherman and about his coma-bound wife, drawing her toward him. They become intimate on the train, and Julieta soon learns she is pregnant with his child.

    When
    Flashback
    Where
    On a train
  4. Xoan and Julieta resume their relationship and Julieta's pregnancy

    Julieta and Xoan renew their relationship after the initial encounter. Despite his affairs with Ava, Julieta informs him that she is pregnant with his child. The relationship becomes central to Julieta's sense of identity and responsibility.

    When
    Following the train encounter
  5. Two years later: visits to Julieta's parents

    Two years after Antía's birth, Julieta and Antía visit Julieta's parents. Her mother is ill and seemingly suffering from Alzheimer's, initially not recognizing her daughter. Meanwhile, her father is having an affair with the maid, to Julieta's chagrin.

    When
    Two years after Antía's birth
    Where
    Julieta's parents' home
  6. Xoan dies at sea; Julieta and Ava cast his ashes

    During a storm, Xoan's boat capsizes and he is killed. His body is recovered and cremated, and Julieta, along with Ava, casts his ashes out over the sea. In the same day, Julieta leaves Antía at summer camp so she won't be present for the cremation.

    When
    During that summer
    Where
    Sea/coast
  7. Julieta moves to Madrid to tell Antía about Xoan's death

    Julieta travels to Madrid to break the news of Xoan's death to Antía and to establish a separate life there. She rents a flat in Madrid and, for a long period, both mother and daughter live apart while still tied by memory. The move marks a shift toward a more fractured, independent existence.

    When
    Immediately after Xoan's death
    Where
    Madrid, Spain
  8. Antía leaves home for a distant retreat at 18

    At 18, Antía goes on a spiritual retreat in the Pyrenees and becomes incommunicado for three months. Julieta remains distant, left with only the journal and memories of what might have been. The retreat marks a rupture that drives Julieta to search for her daughter.

    When
    Age 18, three months
    Where
    Pyrenees, Spain
  9. Three months later: Julieta learns Antía's enlightenment and distances herself further

    Three months after Antía begins the retreat, Julieta travels to the Pyrenees and learns that Antía has found enlightenment and wants no contact. Antía sends blank birthday cards for her 19th, 20th, and 21st birthdays, deepening Julieta's sense of loss. In a fit of rage, Julieta destroys most traces of Antía and moves to escape the memory.

    When
    Three months after retreat
    Where
    Pyrenees, then Madrid
  10. Years later: Ava's illness, funeral, and Julieta meets Lorenzo

    Ava is dying from multiple sclerosis, and Julieta visits her in hospital. Ava reveals that Antía knew about the argument that precipitated Xoan's death and blamed Julieta and Ava. After Ava's funeral, Julieta meets Lorenzo, who has had an affair with Ava and written a book about Ava's art, and they begin a loving relationship.

    When
    Years later
    Where
    Ava's hospital and funeral; later locations
  11. Present: Julieta's obsession with Antía's past and Beatriz's revelation

    Back in the present, Lorenzo has gone to Portugal, and Julieta's mental state deteriorates as she revisits places from her life with Antía. Beatriz unexpectedly recognizes her and reveals that she and Antía had a relationship, a fact that challenges Julieta's memory and beliefs about her daughter. The two realize Antía's retreat may have driven a wedge between them.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Madrid
  12. A near-fatal strike and recovery

    Julieta walks through the city in a dreamlike trance, and Lorenzo recognizes her on the street. As she steps toward him, she is hit by a car and rushed to hospital. The accident shakes her back toward life and opens the possibility of reconciliation.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Madrid, street
  13. The letter from Antía and a page from the past

    In the hospital, Lorenzo reads an unread letter from Antía describing the death of her 9-year-old son, which finally helps Julieta understand how Antía felt when she left. The letter includes a return address, which Lorenzo interprets as an invitation to visit. Touched and hopeful, Julieta yearns to close the cycle between them.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Hospital; Julieta's flat
  14. Plan to meet in Switzerland

    Lorenzo and Julieta drive to Switzerland, where Julieta says she will not demand an explanation, only the chance to be with her daughter. The journey represents the culmination of Julieta's longing and the possibility of reconciliation with Antía.

    When
    Present
    Where
    Switzerland

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 16:24

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Timeline questions answered

Julieta Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Julieta (2016): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Antía leave for the spiritual retreat and cut off contact with Julieta?

Antía went on a spiritual retreat in the Pyrenees at age 18 and chose to become incommunicado for three months. Later, Ava revealed to Julieta that Antía knew about the argument that preceded Xoan's death and blamed both Julieta and Ava for it. Antía had internalized guilt about being away at camp when her father died, which contributed to her decision to cut contact and seek enlightenment.

  • antia retreat
  • spiritual retreat
  • antia leaves
  • pyrenees retreat
  • mother daughter estrangement
Q2

What did Ava reveal to Julieta about why Antía blamed her?

Ava, who was dying from multiple sclerosis, told Julieta that Antía knew about the argument between Julieta and Xoan that happened just before the storm. Antía blamed both Julieta and Ava for the conflict that led to Xoan going fishing in dangerous weather. Additionally, Antía felt guilty herself for being away at camp during the tragedy, which she later suppressed and redirected into blaming her mother.

  • ava reveals
  • antia blame
  • xoan death reason
  • family secrets
Q3

Why did Julieta leave Antía at summer camp during Xoan's death and cremation?

Julieta chose to leave Antía at summer camp rather than call her back for Xoan's cremation. At that time, Antía had become inseparable from a girl named Beatriz from a wealthy family, who invited Antía to spend time with them in Madrid. Julieta's decision, though intended to protect her daughter from immediate grief, ultimately contributed to Antía's feeling of abandonment and the breakdown of their relationship.

  • antia camp
  • xoan cremation
  • julieta decision
  • summer camp
Q4

What caused Xoan's death in the storm?

During an argument between Julieta and Xoan over his occasional affairs with Ava, Julieta stormed out to walk. Despite the incoming storm, Xoan went fishing anyway. The boat capsized in the storm, killing him. Julieta blamed herself for the argument that drove him to go out in such dangerous weather.

  • xoan death
  • storm
  • boat accident
  • argument with ava
Q5

Why did Antía send blank birthday cards to Julieta?

After leaving for the retreat and cutting off contact, Antía sent blank birthday cards to Julieta on her 19th, 20th, and 21st birthdays. These blank cards represented Antía's continued refusal to communicate while still acknowledging her mother's existence, a painful form of minimal contact that deepened Julieta's sense of loss and abandonment.

  • blank cards
  • birthday cards
  • antia messages
  • estrangement
Q6

What was the revelation about Antía and Beatriz's relationship?

Beatriz, Antía's childhood friend from summer camp, revealed to Julieta that she and Antía had a romantic relationship. Beatriz encountered Julieta by chance in Madrid and shared this information. It's suggested that the spiritual retreat may have made Antía ashamed of this relationship, causing her to cut Beatriz out of her life just as she had done with Julieta.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the story, Antía became inseparable with Beatriz at summer camp, and Beatriz's family invited Antía to spend time with them in Madrid.

  • beatriz
  • antia relationship
  • lesbian relationship
  • summer camp friend
Q7

Why did Julieta destroy most traces of Antía after her 21st birthday?

After receiving Antía's blank card on her 21st birthday, Julieta finally had enough and became enraged. She destroyed most traces of her daughter in her life, including moving from her apartment, in an attempt to escape the painful memory of her daughter. This act represented Julieta's emotional breakdown and inability to cope with the prolonged rejection.

  • julieta breakdown
  • moving away
  • destroying photos
  • antia memory
Q8

What did Antía's letter say and why did it change Julieta's situation?

The letter, which had gone unread for years, was finally opened by Lorenzo in Julieta's flat. Antía wrote about the death of her 9-year-old son, which finally allowed her to understand how Julieta must have felt when Antía left without explanation. The letter included a return address, which Lorenzo interpreted as an invitation for Julieta to visit. This discovery opened the possibility of reconciliation after years of estrangement.

  • antia letter
  • son death
  • reconciliation
  • switzerland address
Q9

After running into Beatriz and learning that Antía lives in Switzerland with three children, Julieta abandoned her plans to move to Portugal with Lorenzo. Instead, she leased an apartment in the same building in Madrid where she had raised Antía, knowing that address is Antía's only means of contacting her. She began writing a journal to explain her past, anticipating the chance to reconnect with her daughter.

  • julieta stays
  • madrid apartment
  • antia address
  • waiting for contact
Q10

Why was Julieta fleeing from the older man on the train?

On the train where she met Xoan, Julieta had fled to the restaurant carriage from an older man who was pursuing her. The train then stopped sharply because it had hit that same older man, who had committed suicide on the tracks. Julieta blamed herself for his death, as her flight from him may have contributed to his desperation.

  • train suicide
  • older man
  • julieta guilt
  • train accident
Q11

Why does Julieta obsessively visit places she used to go to with Antía?

After Lorenzo left for Portugal, Julieta's mental state deteriorated significantly. She began obsessively visiting places from her past with Antía, walking through the city in a dreamlike state. This obsession represented her unresolved grief and longing for her daughter, culminating in her being hit by a car while in this dissociative state.

  • julieta walking
  • madrid streets
  • grief
  • mental breakdown
Q12

Why did Antía never forgive Julieta for Xoan's death?

Antía blamed Julieta for the argument that preceded Xoan's fatal fishing trip. Though she was only a child at camp when it happened, she learned about the conflict later and held both Julieta and Ava responsible. Additionally, Antía struggled with her own guilt for being away at camp during the tragedy, which she suppressed by blaming her mother. This combination of blamed responsibility and unresolved personal guilt led to her prolonged estrangement.

  • antia blame
  • forgiveness
  • xoan death blame
  • mother daughter guilt

Movie threads

More Movies Like Julieta, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Julieta tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about maternal grief like Julieta

Films about mothers grappling with guilt and the disappearance of a child. If you were moved by Julieta's journey, explore more movies like it about mothers searching for lost children. These similar dramas delve into themes of grief, guilt, and the desperate need for closure, offering emotionally heavy and reflective viewing experiences.

  • melancholic
  • grieving
  • lonely
  • haunting
  • somber
  • anxious
  • Tone: melancholic, somber, reflective
  • Pacing: slow, deliberate, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a non-linear or time-jumping structure, unfolding the mystery of the loss through flashbacks and present-day searching. The protagonist's internal journey through guilt and regret is as important as the external search, leading to bittersweet or ambiguous revelations rather than tidy resolutions.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their intense focus on a mother's perspective of loss, their melancholic and reflective tone, and the shared narrative pattern of an obsessive search fueled by regret and a desire for understanding.

Slow-burn family secret movies like Julieta

Character-driven dramas where the past haunts the present through hidden truths. For viewers who appreciated the layered revelations in Julieta, this collection features similar movies with complex family dynamics. Discover dramas where hidden truths from the past slowly unravel, creating a poignant and bittersweet viewing experience focused on memory and reconciliation.

  • slow burn
  • reflective
  • haunting
  • somber
  • complex
  • lonely
  • Tone: melancholic, bittersweet, haunting
  • Pacing: slow burn, reflective
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative structure often relies on flashbacks or fragmented memories to piece together the truth. The plot is less about external action and more about the psychological impact of discovery, as characters navigate feelings of betrayal, loneliness, and the fragile hope of mending what was broken.

Why they belong together: These films share a complex, non-linear approach to storytelling, a consistently melancholic and reflective mood, and a core thematic focus on how secrets shape family identity. The experience is defined by a slow accumulation of emotional weight rather than sudden plot twists.

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Every angle

Julieta (2016) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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