Las hijas de Abril (2017)

A pregnant 17-year-old decides to keep her condition to herself, enjoying a calm life in Puerto Vallarta. But, why on earth hadn't the inexperienced mother-to-be sought for assistance earlier? Can a mere child raise a kid on her own?

Director:

Michel Franco

Writer:

Michel Franco

Stars:

Emma Suárez, Ana Valeria Becerril, Enrique Arrizon

5 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Emma Suárez	...	Abril
Ana Valeria Becerril	...	Valeria
Enrique Arrizon	...	Mateo
Joanna Larequi	...	Clara
Hernán Mendoza	...	Gregorio
Tony Dalton	...	Álvaro
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ivan Cortes	...	Jorge
Mario Escalante	...	Taxi Driver
María E. Sandoval	...	Directora del DIF

Storyline

Valeria is 17 and pregnant. She lives in Puerto Vallarta with Clara, her half sister. Valeria has not wanted her long-absent mother, April, to find out about her pregnancy, but due to the economic strain and the overwhelming responsibility of having a baby in the house, Clara decides to call their mother. April arrives, willing to her daughters, but we soon understand why Valeria had wanted her to stay away.

---

Plot Keywords:

mother daughter relationship | cigarette smoking | female full frontal nudity | female nudity | sister sister relationship | 

---

Taglines:

She would do anything for her daughter.

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

23 June 2017 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

April lánya

Filming Locations:

Mexico City, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lucia Films,Trebol Stone

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The role played by Emma Suárez was initially written for Isabelle Huppert.

User Reviews

On the Bossy Side of Parenting

Some parents are on the bossy side. Valeria, 17 and pregnant, dreads this about her mother, April. She does not want judgments about the baby or her carefree Puerto Vallarta beach lifestyle. Yet motherhood soon overwhelms Valeria, who cries as much as her newborn, and she and her feckless boyfriend quickly change their minds about having April around. Things come full circle again when Valeria realizes the shocking conditions that come with April's care and attention. "We demand too much of women," said the writer/director. "They are judged more severely than men when they make a mistake." The film explores this double standard imposed upon women as well as some of the things that make their lives more complicated and intriguing. The bold moves, zest and determination essential to April's character are played wonderfully by Emma Suarez. A nail-biting tension is maintained throughout the film. Characters are properly balanced, just as there is no good or evil in the world, just people and life. In other words, nothing is black and white. The film relies on ambient sound, such as soothing ocean waves. "Music demands a role of its own," maintains the director, and he did not want it to distract from the points he makes in the film. Selected for the Cannes and Toronto festivals. Seen at the Miami Film Festival.