Be For Films Boards Spanish Director Mar Coll’s ‘Mothers Don’t’

Be For Films has acquired international sales rights to “Mothers Don’t” (“Las madres no”) directed by celebrated Spanish filmmaker Mar Coll.

The film marks her third directorial outing following “Three Days with the Family“ and “We All Want What’s Best for Her.” The movie tells the story of María, a young writer who has just become a mother, and becomes obsessed by the highly publicized case of a woman who drowned her 10-month old twins in the bathtub. Through writing, María starts understanding the radical experience of her own motherhood.

“Mothers Don’t” stars Laura Weissmahr (“Cardo”), Oriol Pla (“Creatura”), Giannina Fruttero (“Smiley”) and Belén Cruz (“Cell 211”). The film is produced by Escándalo Films (“Good Manners,” “Eva”) and Elastica Films (““La Chimera,” “Priscilla””). The latter will distribute “Mothers Don’t” in Spain.

“María, the protagonist of our story is a repentant mother, an association of words that generates automatic unease,” said Coll, who has also directed series such as “Matar al padre” and ”This is not Sweden”’. 

“Motherhood has been so underrepresented and in such a partial way, often under a syrupy light, that any dissonant experience has been buried by the taboo,” added the filmmaker, who penned the script with Valentina Viso.

The producers, Maria Zamora and Sergi Casamitjana, said they believe that ‘Mothers Don’t’ “has all the elements to make a portrait of real motherhood that accepts, understands and embraces both sides of the same coin.”

“A surprising cinematographic piece in which the spectator will be able to identify with the contradictions of our characters, in a story told with absolute honesty,” Zamora and Casamitjana continued.

Be For Films’ boss Pamela Leu said “Mar Coll’s latest work had us fascinated, and Laura Weissmahr’s portrayal of the journey into motherhood is truly compelling. Her performance is simply captivating.”

The sales company will introduce the project to buyers at the Cannes Film Market. The movie is backed by ICEC, ICAA, RTVE, Movistar Plus+ and Vodafone.