Matria

Álvaro Gago's 2023 Galician film follows Ramona in a fishing town. She works in the cannery, in people's houses and on the boat in turn; everything she earns goes to her daughter's future and nothing is left for herself. The film does not present that scramble as heroism. Ramona is hard, impatient and at times unfair; the narrative watches her without trying to make her likeable and questions the sacrifice itself. María Vázquez leads and her performance drew wide praise. The film was expanded from an earlier short by the director. The dialogue is in Galician and the camera is mostly handheld at shoulder height. Who it's for: those who like Spanish independent cinema and drama about labour. Who it's not for: viewers expecting a consoling close; the film offers no resolution.