VENICE 2021: Parallel Mothers
VENICEPedro Almodóvar seems to have fully come into his own starting in the 2000s with more confident, polished, serious and complex filmmaking than the highly melodramatic provocative comedies of the 80s and early 90s. Not only that, but he also explored certain themes multiple times to the point that they have become proper trademarks. A key characteristic is the passion and love that he has for his female characters: mothers, daughters, girls that love and want to be loved, but are also fully independent, removing themselves from the shackles of the patriarchy, and finding solace in their friendships and shared experiences.
Madres Paralelas (eng. Parallel Mothers) is the third consecutive time that Almodóvar has been at the Venice Film Festival, following a Lifetime Achievement and an Out of Competition screening of his short adaptation of Cocteau’s The Human Voice. This is a deceptively simple film: on the surface, the tale of two women (Penélope Cruz and newcomer Milena Smit) who befriend each other while giving birth on the same day, is prime for the typical melodrama that has made the Spanish director beloved worldwide.
While the film definitely has plenty of amusing sequences and strong comedic timing from all the performers – Rossy de Palma is back in a supporting role, lighting the screen whenever she’s on – it also has a much deeper, universal message at its core that is quite tender and serious. Family is not only blood related, but it can be chosen. Almodóvar has made many political statements over the years, but this has his most blunt, straightforward approach to tackling the dark history of Spain and the trauma that is still running down from generation to generation.
The reopening of a mass grave, which will give closure to the grief of a small Spanish town, is a delightfully poignant framing device for the whole film. As expected, production design, camerawork, and music are simply incredible, and the performers are all on top of their game. Cruz is spellbinding as always, but young Smit is the biggest surprise, as she shows immense range, holding her own playing a young woman that is slowly coming into her own.
Very few people make films as emotional and beautiful as Pedro Almodóvar, and Madres Paralelas is another home run. One of the strongest opening films from the last few years at Venice, and among the finer films among the director’s wide and eclectic filmography.