The Second Mother
dir. Anna Muylaert · 2015
The struggle between personal sacrifice and familial connection reveals the complexities of love and responsibility in human relationships.
Plot
After leaving her daughter Jessica in a small town in Pernambuco to be raised by relatives, Val spends the next 13 years working as a nanny to Fabinho in São Paulo. She has financial stability but has to live with the guilt of having not raised Jessica herself. As Fabinho’s university entrance exams approach, Jessica reappears in her life and seems to want to give her mother a second chance. However, Jessica has not been raised to be a servant and her very existence will turn Val’s routine on its head. With precision and humour, the subtle and powerful forces that keep rigid class structures in place and how the youth may just be the ones to shake it all up.
Why watch
"The Second Mother" transcends simple class commentary, weaving a deeply emotional narrative about motherhood and societal roles. With a striking blend of drama and humor, it invites audiences to reflect on the complexities of privilege and familial bonds against the backdrop of Brazil’s rigid class structures.