Mater

Lena and Celeste have been together for years and share a desire to start a family. However, the path to parenthood is more complicated for them than they had imagined. In their desperation, they make an unorthodox decision: they choose an unsuspecting man as a sperm donor. They choose Darío, a young laborer who is under the control of his domineering mother. What begins as a secret and pragmatic solution quickly develops into an explosive situation that confronts all parties involved with the consequences of their decisions. MATER by Pablo D'Alo Abba is an intense Argentinean drama that sheds light on topics such as motherhood, control and identity issues. The film impressively shows the emotional abyss between personal desire and social reality. The nuanced staging and the deep characters make it a suspenseful examination of power relations and family expectations. The film was presented at several international festivals, including the Mar del Plata International Film Festival and the Festival Internacional de Cine de Guadalajara. Critics particularly praised the strong acting performance and the complex narrative style, which does not provide any easy answers.

Keywords

  • Creatives: Debut Films
  • Queerness: Living Out Loud
  • User Favorites: Top 25
  • family
  • love triangle
  • parenthood
  • secret

Actors

  • Patricio Aranguren
  • Marina Bellati
  • Araceli Dvoskin
  • Luciana Fuks
  • Tamara Kiper

Director

  • Pablo D'Alo Abba

Drama, Queer


1h 20min


12 FSK

ES


DE

Argentina
2017
The desire for a baby of two lesbian “moms-to-be” and a not entirely voluntary “father” cause quite a stir...

The desire for a baby of two lesbian “moms-to-be” and a not entirely voluntary “father” cause quite a stir...


Lena and Celeste have been together for years and share a desire to start a family. However, the path to parenthood is more complicated for them than they had imagined. In their desperation, they make an unorthodox decision: they choose an unsuspecting man as a sperm donor. They choose Darío, a young laborer who is under the control of his domineering mother. What begins as a secret and pragmatic solution quickly develops into an explosive situation that confronts all parties involved with the consequences of their decisions.


MATER by Pablo D'Alo Abba is an intense Argentinean drama that sheds light on topics such as motherhood, control and identity issues. The film impressively shows the emotional abyss between personal desire and social reality. The nuanced staging and the deep characters make it a suspenseful examination of power relations and family expectations.


The film was presented at several international festivals, including the Mar del Plata International Film Festival and the Festival Internacional de Cine de Guadalajara. Critics particularly praised the strong acting performance and the complex narrative style, which does not provide any easy answers.

Cast & Crew