Birth (2024 film)

Birth (Alumbramiento) is a 2024 Spanish-Romanian drama film directed by Pau Teixidor and written by Teixidor and Lorena Iglesias. It stars Sofía Milán alongside María Vázquez.

Plot
The plot is set in 1982 Spain, against the backdrop of the country's purported political and social change. Pregnant Lucía is taken by her mother Marisa to a Catholic reformatory for teen pregnant women in Peñagrande, where she develops a strong friendship with other young women, while becoming the target of a baby theft ring centered in the reformatory.

Production
The film is a Spanish-Romanian co-production by Aquí y Allí Films, Minoria Absoluta, Alumbramiento AIE and Avanpost. It had the participation of RTVE and backing from ICAA and Ayuntamiento de Madrid. Shooting locations included Madrid.

Release
The film was presented at the 8th BCN Film Fest on 24 April 2024. Distributed by Filmax, it is scheduled to be released theatrically in Spain on 19 June 2024.

Reception
Enid Román Almansa of Cinemanía rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, considering it to be "emotional, hard, beautiful and tremendously necessary" in the verdict.

Manuel J. Lombardo of Diario de Sevilla gave the film 3 stars, mentioning the time setting, the extraordinary mise-en-scene and the fitting cast of young actresses as some of the merits in it.

Javier Ocaña of El País deemed the film to be a "modest but laudable work", lacking nonetheless "that touch of ambition" that turns movies into something else.

Juan Pando of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars writing that the "the youth cast, perfectly matched, is exceptional".

Raquel Hernández Luján of HobbyConsolas gave the film 75 points ('good'), adding that it "demystifies the 1980s by pointing out their contradictions".

Accolades

 * rowspan = "2" | 2024 || rowspan = "2" | 8th BCN Film Fest || Best Director || Pau Teixidor || Won || rowspan = "2" |
 * Best Actress || Young Actresses Cast (Sofía Milán, Celia Lopera, Carmen Escudero, Paula Agulló, Victoria Oliver, Alba Munuera) || Won
 * }
 * Best Actress || Young Actresses Cast (Sofía Milán, Celia Lopera, Carmen Escudero, Paula Agulló, Victoria Oliver, Alba Munuera) || Won
 * }