Mamifera | SXSW 2024 Film Review

The idea of having children has evolved greatly over the past century. For so long, the prevailing mindset was that for anyone to have a happy life, you needed to have children. Well, modern times call on us to drastically reassess our views of this scenario: does having children truly lead to joy for all, or is that worldview as dated as it sounds? Writer-director Liliana Torres’s Mamifera aims to spark discussion on this very topic. 

When we first meet Lola (Maria Rodríguez Soto), she is enjoying afternoon delights in the shower with her longtime boyfriend, Bruno (Enric Auquer). Lola is a collage artist who enjoys peaceful walks with her beloved dog, frolicking with Bruno, and avoiding babysitting any children in her family. It becomes immediately apparent that this couple has a quiet, enjoyable life steeped in work, love, and freedom. But all of that is about to change. 

Lola mistakes physical discomfort for a tummy ache, and comes to learn that she is, in fact, pregnant. This presents an increasingly difficult situation for Lola to navigate, as she has never wanted children, nor even envisioned herself having any. She is content, and any interaction with a child surrounds Lola with stress and exhaustion. As Lola confronts her available options, she quickly realizes the world around her – doctors, friends, family, and possibly even Bruno – all feel quite differently about Lola’s course of action. 

Mamifera confronts the very real stigma of potential motherhood in today’s society. There are those with an overabundance of little ones, others who fight tooth-and-nail for the opportunity to conceive even a single child, and still others who have no interest. None of these choices are incorrect and all are deeply personal, but the world-at-large still weighs women down with preconceived notions and traditions that can suffocate anyone if you are not too careful.   

Liliana Torres’s script does a wondrous job of sifting through the varying scenarios laid out in the world today, as Lola is forced to sit on our personal choice for three days. It affords our lead to vet every option and dissect her own meaning and purpose in her life choices, which leads to a beautiful overall commentary on the topic at hand. 

While each actor involved is quite naturalistic and inviting, Mamifera is carried completely by Maria Rodríguez Soto‘s bravely endearing performance. Soto affords Lola with genuine empathy, exposing her inner struggles for the entire audience to touch and feel. Conveying this turmoil into a relatable performance is an exceptional challenge, one Soto meets head-on with a fierce vulnerability that captivates and decimates our emotions in equal measure. 

While Mamifera sounds like a fairly simplistic plotline, thematically Liliana Torres’s film is heavy with warmth and complexity. Spearheaded by Maria Rodríguez Soto’s bold performance, Mamifera is a beautifully poetic nod to the importance of my body, my choice.

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