The Second Mother (2015)

When the estranged daughter of a hard-working live-in housekeeper suddenly appears, the unspoken class barriers that exist within the home are thrown into disarray.

Director:

Anna Muylaert

Writer:

Anna Muylaert

Stars:

Regina Casé, Helena Albergaria, Michel Joelsas

34 wins & 30 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Regina Casé	...	Val
Michel Joelsas	...	Fabinho
Camila Márdila	...	Jéssica
Karine Teles	...	Bárbara
Lourenço Mutarelli	...	Carlos
Helena Albergaria	...	Edna
Bete Dorgam	...	Janaina
Luis Miranda	...	Antonio Jardineiro
Theo Werneck	...	Vandré
Luci Pereira	...	Raimunda
Anapaula Csernik	...	Diléia
Hugo Villavicenzio	...	Peruano
Roberto Camargo	...	Reporter
Alex Huszar	...	Caveira
Andrey Lima	...	Fabinho Criança (as Andrey Lima Lopes)

Storyline

Val spends 13 years working as nanny to Fabinho in São Paulo. She is financially stable but has to live with the guilt of having left her daughter Jéssica, in Pernambuco, in the northeast of Brazil, raised by relatives. As college entrance exams roll around, Jéssica wants to come to São Paulo to take her college entrance exams too. When Jéssica arrives, cohabitation is not easy. Everyone will be affected by the personality and candor of the girl and Val finds herself right in the middle of it.

---

Plot Keywords:

brazilian | brazil | portuguese language | female protagonist | mother son relationship | 

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and brief drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brazil's official submission to the 2016's Oscars as Best Foreign Language Film.

---

Soundtracks

Águas de março
Written by Antonio Carlos Jobim (uncredited)
Performed by Antonio Carlos Jobim

User Reviews

São Paulo Snapshot

I believe this movie is an accurate depiction of a typical upper middle class or upper class Brazilian household. There is a clear and well defined divide between the haves and the have nots. Val the maid lives in a small room and comes from the impoverished North East of Brazil (just as former President Lula did!). I think the film maker wanted to paint a picture of stark contrasts, somewhat like a film version of Casa-Grande & Senzala by Gilberto Freyre (discussed the various classes and races in Brazil 1933). Although the mother was a pretty overbearing one percenter, I don't think she is unique and could be found anywhere! The father was pretty cool, absolutely nothing phoney about him, all up front. The movie presents the Vestibular University entrance exam system. The system does not distinguish applicants based on societal position. Also the best Universities are free, so we can all learn something from Brazil. Parabéns.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Release Date:

28 August 2015 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Second Mother

Filming Locations:

São Paulo, Brazil

Box Office

Budget:

BRL4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$24,086, 30 August 2015

Gross USA:

$376,986

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,003,560

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gullane, Africa Filmes, Globo Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1