Once Upon My Mother (2025)
Kernel Score: 75% · 216 TMDB ratings
Genres: Drama, Comedy
Released: 2025-03-19
Runtime: 102 minutes
Overview
In 1963, Esther gives birth to Roland, the youngest of a large family. Roland is born with a club foot that prevents him from standing. Against everyone's advice, she promises her son that he will walk like the others and that he will have a fabulous life. From then on, Esther will do everything in her power to keep this promise. Through decades of trials and miracles of life, this film is the story of a true, funny and moving story, that of an incredible destiny and the greatest love there is: that of a mother for her child.
Once Upon My Mother parents' guide: ages 6+
Parents need to know that Once Upon My Mother is a French family drama about a mother's decades-long devotion to helping her disabled son live a full life.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Once Upon My Mother
If you liked Once Upon My Mother, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The First Beautiful Thing (2010) — 82%
- Fatherhood (2021) — 86%
- Bye Bye Morons (2020) — 82%
- Moxie (2021) — 81%
- Les Misérables (1998) — 80%
- August Rush (2007) — 85%
- The Magic of Belle Isle (2012) — 77%
- Hamlet (1996) — 81%
Director
Ken Scott
Cast
- Leïla Bekhti as Esther Perez
- Jonathan Cohen as Roland Perez (Adult)
- Joséphine Japy as Litzie Gozlan
- Sylvie Vartan as Sylvie Vartan
- Jeanne Balibar as Mrs. Fleury
- Lionel Dray as Maklouf Perez
- Anne Le Ny as Mrs. Vergepoche
- Milo Machado-Graner as Jacques Perez (12-17 years old)
- Naïm Naji as Roland Perez (5-7 years old)
- Iliana Belkhadra as Nicole Perez (15-20 years old)
Once Upon My Mother FAQ
Is Once Upon My Mother good?
Once Upon My Mother has a 75% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels, our own critic-informed editorial score.
Is Once Upon My Mother OK for kids?
Fresh Kernels suggests ages 6+. Parents need to know that Once Upon My Mother is a French family drama about a mother's decades-long devotion to helping her disabled son live a full life.
What movies are like Once Upon My Mother?
If you liked Once Upon My Mother, try The First Beautiful Thing, Fatherhood, Bye Bye Morons and Moxie.