Based on Deborah Levy’s acclaimed 2016 novel Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s directorial debut, Hot Milk,follows twenty-five-year-old anthropology student Sofia (Emma Mackey) as she accompanies her mysteriously ill mother, Rose (Fiona Shaw), to a Spanish clinic in search of a cure for her debilitating condition.
Emma Mackey’s Sofia serves as the film’s emotional center, portraying a young woman stifled by filial duty and struggling to claim her own identity.
The story revolves around codependent relationships, repressed trauma, and sexual awakening.Though adapted but the film has kept the exclusive story of the novel intact.Her performance captures the character’s anthropological curiosity about human behavior.
Hot Milk screened at the Berlin film festival and is in UK and Irish cinemas from 4 July.
Hot Milk explores several powerful themes through its visual storytelling:
Psychosomatic Illness:The movie revolves around the nature of Rose’s disability, suggesting through subtle clues that her condition may be psychological rather than physical.A scene from the film shows Rose flinches when a cat brushes against her legs—a moment that undermines her claimed paralysis.
Maternal Conflict:The relationship between Sofia and Rose serves as the film’s emotional core, depicting a toxic codependency.
Sexual Awakening: Sofia’s relationship with the enigmatic Ingrid (Vicky Krieps) offers an escape from her maternal obligations.
Cast Of The Film Hot Milk 2025
Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw, Vicky Krieps, Vincent Perez, Patsy Ferran, Yann Gael, Vangelis Mourikis.