Recommended Video
It goes without saying that on May 10, the stars of the day will be the lights of our lives, our fiercest supporters, and the ultimate source of unconditional love. On Mother’s Day, it will be a time dedicated to highlighting all the special, selfless women out there and all the hard work they do.
From moms to mother figures, it’s a holiday to celebrate and remember the relationships formed, the sacrifices made, and the lessons learned. And if you are looking to spend some quality time with your mom this Mother’s Day, you can’t go wrong with a good movie…or three. This is why we’ve rounded up a few films that you may want to add to your Mother’s Day movie night.
Cinema is filled with stories, characters, and plots that detail, honor, and celebrate the complexities of motherhood and everything that comes with it. These films range in theme, genre, and style, because what it means to be a mom isn’t the same experience for everyone. It can be great, complicated, tragic, and everything in between. But at the end of the day, there is still a lesson to be learned and love to be given and received.
RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: How to Raise Power Women According to Moms Min Bernardo, Melanie Marquez, and More
Lady Bird – The Struggle To Follow Your Dreams Is Real
Considered as Greta Gerwig’s breakout movie as a director, this coming-of-age film follows Lady Bird McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) as she explores what she wants to do in life, which includes moving to the big city for college. But there’s also the fact that her mother, Marion (Laurie Metcalf), isn’t exactly the most supportive of her ambitious dreams. The film’s coming-of-age storyline already makes this a worthwhile watch, but it also shines in its exploration of the relationship between Lady Bird and her mother.
While the movie delves into the tensions that can be found in many mother-daughter relationships, it also showcases the undeniable bond in a way that only a mother and daughter can understand. For those who have ever faced conflict with their moms as they entered adulthood, you’ll find something to enjoy and relate to here.
Mamma Mia! – Dancing Through a Grecian Island
For something fun and lighthearted, Mamma Mia! is that experience you’re looking for. This movie musical, based on the songs of ABBA, follows a young woman named Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) who is getting married on a Greek island. But before she does, she first wants to discover who her real dad is among three potential men, much to the disapproval of her mom, Donna (Meryl Streep). Watch this feel-good musical for the songs and good times, but stay for the dynamic between Sophie and her mom as they navigate their complicated past and the daughter’s eventual letting go into marriage.
Ang Tanging Ina – The Filipina Mother
The Ang Tanging Ina franchise is Pinoy comedy camp excellence, and it all started with Wenn V. Deramas’s original starring Ai-Ai delas Alas. Ang Tanging Ina follows the story of Ina Montecillo, a single mother who is forced to take care of her 12 kids after her three husbands leave her. The movie is both comical for the crazy situations that Ina gets herself into, as well as heartwarming because we see how far Ina goes to make a better life for her kids.
Not only is Ina Montecillo a cinematic icon in her own right and Ai-Ai’s most iconic movie role, but she has also become a poster child of the Filipino mother in local cinema. She is an example of a lot of Filipina mothers, those who sacrifice so much just for their family and are guided by their love and devotion to their kids. It’s a lighthearted yet touching comedy that delves into the lengths moms will go for their kids and how showing up will always matter.
Turning Red – When Being a Daughter Meets Being Your Own Person
When it comes to animation and motherhood, Pixar has a strong track record of depicting memorable mothers. Brave comes to mind as a great Pixar film about the relationship between a daughter and her mom. But their 2022 release, Turning Red, nails it on the head of the kind of relationship many daughters have with their moms, especially those from Asian households.
The story follows teenager Meilin as she feels torn between being a dutiful daughter to her mom, Ming, while also living her life as a young adolescent. Things get even more complicated when Meilin discovers she has the power to turn into a red panda. This tale of mother-daughter relationships and an allegory on female puberty captures the feeling of what it may feel like for a daughter when trying to follow tradition, all while discovering her own self. This film makes for a great watch on navigating a mother-daughter bond while living as your own person.
Everything Everywhere All at Once – A Multiversal Mother-Daughter Story
At its core, the movie tells the story of Evelyn (Michelle Yeoh) and the fraught relationship she has with her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu). Unbeknownst to the two, this friction is the reason why one variant of Joy decides to go on a multiverse-hopping revenge quest to eliminate every Evelyn she can find.
For how absurd and crazy the film can get, it delivers an emotional crescendo when the focus centers on the hurt and trauma Joy feels from her mom and the understanding and acceptance Evelyn learns to have as a mother. If there’s one thing to take from this multiverse-spanning modern classic, it’s that a mother’s love will always find you in every universe.
Anak – A Classic Mother-Daughter Tale
From Dekada ‘70, In My Life, and more, Vilma Santos has portrayed many on screen mothers over the decades. But her portrayal of Josie in Anak may just be her most memorable. Directed by Rory Quintos, the movie centers on a mother who works as an OFW in Hong Kong. In doing so, she left her three children, Carla, Michael, and Daday, behind, with their father passing away while Josie was gone.
When she returns to the Philippines a few years later, Josie is ready to catch up on lost time with her kids, but they are far from welcoming, especially Carla. This tender yet heartbreaking film dives into the struggles many OFW mothers face and the complexities of a mother-daughter relationship.
Little Women – Being Your Own Woman
Greta Gerwig finds herself on this list again, and for good reason. Her 2019 adaptation of Little Women explores the lives of the March sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, but also gives a greater emphasis on their mother, Marmee, and the role she played in raising them and being that mother figure they need. Marmee may be imperfect, but so are most mothers, and that’s what makes her great because, despite her flaws, she lets her daughters live their lives and discover themselves in the world.
Coraline – That’s Not Your Real Mother
Based on the 2002 book of the same name by Neil Gaiman, this acclaimed film follows a young girl named Coraline and her parents, with whom she doesn’t get along. One day, she discovers a secret passage to another world where she meets duplicates of her parents with buttons for eyes.
At first, these alternate parents are everything Coraline wished her real parents to be and then some. But as time goes on, she realizes that there is a dark secret behind them. This mature yet creative and visually striking film reminds us that, despite the differences we may have with our own mothers, there is a genuine love and connection there that no one can replace.
Left-Handed Girl – Motherhood in the Big City
This underrated Taiwanese drama from 2025 centers on a single mom and two daughters, one in her twenties and the other five years old. Life isn’t easy for the trio, but things get even more complicated when they move from the countryside to Taipei and open a noodle stand in the night market. Each member of the family deals with the big move in their own way, but despite how tough things can get, they always find their way back to each other.
Caregiver – The Sacrifices Mothers Make
Seen as one of Sharon Cuneta’s best movie performances, this Chito S. Roño-directed drama from 2008 stars the Megastar as Sarah, a mother who quits her job as a teacher to become an OFW in London and work as a caregiver to provide a better life for her family, especially her son. The film doesn’t shy away from depicting Sarah’s struggles navigating working abroad and living in another country, but it also spotlights the love, sacrifice, and dedication of mothers, especially those who become OFWs.
Featured Image: IMDB (via Website)
Frequently Asked Questions
The film explores the tension between an ambitious teenager and her unsupportive mother as the daughter prepares for college. It captures the authentic struggle of following one’s dreams while navigating a complicated yet undeniable bond, making it highly relatable for anyone who has faced conflict with their parents during the transition to adulthood.
The character of Ina Montecillo has become a cinematic icon representing the selfless devotion and humor of Filipina mothers. Despite the “comedy camp” situations, the film highlights the deep sacrifices single mothers make to provide for their children, proving that a mother’s constant presence and love are what truly define a family.
Turning Red serves as an allegory for female puberty and the pressure of meeting high expectations in Asian households. It specifically addresses the delicate balance a daughter must strike between honoring family traditions and discovering her own independent identity, offering a nuanced look at the evolving bond between a mother and her growing child.
Set in the night markets of Taipei, the film follows a single mother and her two daughters as they navigate financial hardship and cultural superstitions. It portrays motherhood through the lens of endurance and hidden sacrifice, ultimately revealing how family secrets and generational trauma can collide with the fierce desire to protect one’s children in a bustling, modern city.
The film uses its high-concept, absurd multiverse plot to mirror the emotional distance and generational trauma between a mother and daughter. By the story’s end, it delivers a powerful message that a mother’s love is a universal force capable of bridging any gap or alternate reality to provide the acceptance and understanding her child needs.
