SPA25: The Stepmother's Bond

Australian premiere

 Tras el verano

Featuring the stellar trio of Alexandra Jiménez (Under Therapy, Idol Affair), Juan Diego Botto (The Room Next Door), and Ruth Gabriel (The Goya Murders) this delicate drama explores parenthood, separation and blended families.

For years, Paula (Jiménez) has raised her partner Raúl’s six-year-old son Dani as if he were her own, forming a special connection. However, her relationship with Raúl is in crisis, and their separation would put her bond with Dani at risk. Facing the pain of a possible goodbye, Paula struggles to maintain her place in the life of the child she loves deeply.

A powerful tale of family and emotion that examines the legal loopholes faced by couples with children from a previous relationship, and the complex bonds that transcend genetics, the film asks whether DNA is more important than affection.

The feature film debut of Yolanda Centeno, selected by Variety in 2021 as one of the ‘10 Women Directors to Watch from Spain’, this moving drama has autobiographical touches, inspired by Centeno’s own experience.  

OFFICIAL SELECTION | Festival de Málaga 2025

Spanish with English subtitles