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A melhor mãe do mundo

The Best Mother in the World | Die beste Mutter der Welt
Berlinale Special 2025
© Aline Arruda
To escape her abusive husband, garbage collector Gal packs her two young children, Rihanna and Benin, onto the top of her cart and heads across São Paulo to her cousin’s house. As she struggles to avoid the dangers of the streets along the way, she convinces the children that they are on a big and exciting adventure. When they arrive at her cousin’s house, they are warmly welcomed and fed. However, what initially seems like a safe haven soon turns out to be a trap. Gal realises that not only her own safety is at risk, but also the future of her children.
by Anna Muylaert (Director, Screenplay)
with Shirley Cruz, Seu Jorge, Rihanna Barbosa, Benin Ayo Brazil / Argentina 2025 Portuguese 105' Colour World premiere

With

  • Shirley Cruz (Gal)
  • Seu Jorge (Leandro)
  • Rihanna Barbosa (Rihanna)
  • Benin Ayo (Benin)

Crew

Director Anna Muylaert
Screenplay Anna Muylaert
Cinematography Lílis Soares
Editing Fernando Stutz
Music André Abujamra, George Nahssen
Sound Design Miriam Biderman, Ricardo Reis
Production Design Maíra Mesquita, Juliana Ribeiro
Casting Gabriel Domingues
Producers Tomás Darcyl, Ricardo Costianovsky, Clara Ramos, Bianca Villar, Karen Castanho, Fernando Fraiha, Anna Muylaert
Executive Producers Leonardo Mecchi, Deborah Nikaido

Produced by

Galeria Distribuidora

Telefilms

Biônica Filmes

Anna Muylaert

World Sales

Galeria Distribuidora

Photos

Anna Muylaert

© Paulino Gleeson

The screenwriter and director was born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1964. She has written several series for Brazilian television and has collaborated on the screenplays for a number of feature films including Cao Hamburger’s The Year My Parents Went on Vacation which screened in the Berlinale Competition in 2007. As a director, she has made eight feature films to date of which The Second Mother won the 2015 Panorama Audience Award. Her work most recently featured at the Berlinale in 2016 with Don’t Call Me Son.

Filmography

2002 Durval Discos (Durval Records) 2009 É Proibido Fumar (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes) 2012 Chamada a cobrar (Collect Call) 2015 Que Horas Ela Volta? (The Second Mother) 2016 Mãe só há uma (Don’t Call Me Son) 2024 O clube das mulheres de negócios (The Businesswomen’s Club) 2025 A melhor mãe do mundo (The Best Mother in the World)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2025