The Stepmother's Bond

The Stepmother's Bond is a 2025 Spanish drama film directed by Yolanda Centeno in her directorial debut feature. It stars Alexandra Jiménez and Juan Diego Botto alongside Ruth Gabriel and Álex Infantes.

Plot

Paula lives with Raúl, developing a bond with her six-year-old stepson Dani. In the wake of the couple's separation, conflict ensues.

Production

The Stepmother's Bond was produced by Áralan Films, Harry, and After the summer AIE with the association of La Goota Entertainment. It also had the participation of RTVE and Canal Sur, and backing from the Madrid regional administration, ICAA, and AA.II.CC. It was shot in between Málaga and Granada.

Release

The film premiered in the official selection of the 28th Málaga Film Festival on 20 March 2025. Distributed by Alfa Pictures, it was released theatrically in Spain on 16 May 2025.

Reception

Juan Pando of Fotogramas rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, writing that in addition to telling a story, it manages to "convey deep feelings and emotions, and does so with images, without resorting to dialogue".
María Bescós of HobbyConsolas gave the film 55 points, positively mentioning "the approach to different family models" while citing how it "is more ambiguous than it needs to be" as a negative point.