Calle Málaga

Seventy-nine-year-old María Ángeles (Carmen Maura) lives an independent existence in the Spanish quarter of Tangier. When her daughter Clara (Marta Etura) arrives from Madrid to pressure her into selling her apartment, however, the stable trajectory of María’s life is thrown off course. Resolving to stay no matter the cost, María quietly rebels against her daughter’s wishes and in so doing develops an unexpected romantic connection with someone she once considered an opponent.

Following the acclaimed The Blue Caftan, Moroccan director Maryam Touzani makes her Spanish-language debut with this deeply felt film about age, motherhood, and resilience, drawing from memories of her own grandmother. Anchored by Spanish screen legend and Pedro Almodóvar regular Carmen Maura, the film refracts María’s predicament through a delightful and eclectic ensemble of characters. It is a film that portrays the experience of aging not as defeat, but as a continual defiance of one’s limits.

The cinematic equivalent of a blissful weekend at the spa, a relaxing respite from the stressful news cycles of our times.

G Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle

The movie is a sweet star showcase that belongs unequivocally to the incandescent Maura, whose earthy naturalness, sly humor and tenacious spirit feed a direct link back to her Almodóvarian glory days.

David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

In the end, this family drama hits you in the feels like a warm cup of cocoa before turning in for the night.

Alan Ng, Film Threat