IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VOLTA PICTURES
Win tickets to the opening night of this striking new release and a night at Aloft Hotel Dublin with dinner …
There are films you watch, and there are films that stay with you. HOT MILK, which opens in Irish cinemas nationwide on July 4, is firmly in the latter category – a bold, sun-drenched psychological drama that explores the tender and troubling complexities between mothers and daughters, independence and identity, illness and emotional entrapment.
Directed by award-winning screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz (Ida, Disobedience) in her directorial debut, HOT MILK is adapted from the acclaimed novel by Deborah Levy. Set in the sweltering stillness of an Andalusian summer, this deeply atmospheric story follows Sofia, a conflicted young woman at a pivotal crossroads in her life.
An Emotional Heatwave
Sofia is played with simmering intensity by Emma Mackey (Emily, Sex Education), who brings nuance and vulnerability to a role that explores the shifting power dynamics between parent and child. Travelling to a sun-scorched Spanish village with her ailing and controlling mother Rose, played by Fiona Shaw (Bad Sisters, Killing Eve), Sofia is ostensibly seeking a cure for Rose’s mysterious illness.
But this trip is about much more than physical healing. As Sofia navigates the cryptic treatments of the enigmatic Dr Gómez, played by Vincent Perez, and forms an unexpected connection with the bold and free-spirited Ingrid, played by Vicky Krieps (Phantom Thread), the emotional boundaries between duty and resentment, love and repression, begin to unravel.
As the heat rises, so too does the tension – both psychological and sensual – until the question becomes not just what’s wrong with Rose, but what’s keeping Sofia from breaking free.
Liberation and Longing
At its heart, HOT MILK is a story about the pain and pleasure of becoming your own person. It’s a journey of self-discovery disguised as a mother-daughter getaway, with Lenkiewicz weaving threads of desire, self-doubt, and buried trauma into a tapestry that feels deeply human and hauntingly familiar.
The setting of Almería is no mere backdrop. The blazing sun, the desolate beaches, the heat radiating from cracked pavements – all work to intensify the film’s emotional claustrophobia. The cinematography evokes a sense of time suspended, of truths slowly revealing themselves like mirages in the heat.
This is a film that asks: what happens when the person holding you back is the one who raised you?
Critics Are Already Talking
HOT MILK has quickly generated buzz for its rich character studies and atmospheric direction, hailed as a “subversive coming-of-age tale” with Fiona Shaw described as “truly extraordinary” and Emma Mackey and Vicky Krieps “formidable”.
The performances are layered and intimate, with Shaw’s portrayal of Rose delivering one of her most complex roles to date. Krieps brings an electrifying energy to Ingrid, acting as both catalyst and mirror for Sofia’s emotional unravelling.
A Film For Soul-Seekers
If you love emotionally rich and visually arresting cinema – think Call Me By Your Name with a psychological twist – then HOT MILK will speak to you. It’s a meditation on grief and desire, but also on female agency and the courage it takes to step into the unknown.
It’s not just about what’s said, but what simmers beneath: the glances, the silences, the things that can never fully be explained. Don’t miss this haunting, hypnotic story of a woman daring to leave her past behind.
Win Tickets To HOT MILK And A Hotel Stay With Dinner
Win a pair of tickets to see HOT MILK in the Light House Cinema on opening night, July 4, and an overnight stay in Aloft Dublin City for 2 guests, with dinner in Tenters Gastropub.
Aloft is a stylish 4-star hotel located in the heart of the Liberties, one of Dublin’s most historic neighbourhoods – the perfect base for exploring the capital, whether it’s business or leisure. The spacious rooms have stunning views of the city, with easy access to the best bars, restaurants, venues and attractions.
