The Second Mother

Brazilian drama sees a high-class household thrown into upheaval when the housemaid's estranged daughter comes to live with them. It's been thirteen years since Val left Jessica in the care of grandparents and moved cities in search of work, and financial stability has come at the expense of a guilty conscience. But making things even more complicated than they'd ordinarily be is that the pair have to reconnect while living, and working, in someone else's home.

"Val is a housekeeper working for a rich family in São Paulo. She is been washing, cooking and cleaning for what seems like an eternity. She is also a caring confidante of 17-year-old Fabinho, whose mother never seems to have any time for him. Val left her own daughter Jéssica back at home far away; the pair has not seen each other for over ten years. All of a sudden the girl announces her arrival. Now a self-confident young woman, she intends to study architecture in São Paulo and refuses to calmly accept the rules that exist between master and servant. Instead of sharing her mother’s humble room, she moves into the spacious guest bedroom. She helps herself to anything she fancies from the fridge and even frolics about in the pool with Fabinho and his friends. Bit by bit the once unshakable rules of the house begin to disintegrate, much against Val's will. And then, in the midst of an argument between mother and daughter, Jéssica’s well-kept secret comes to light." (Berlin International Film Festival)

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