Mother’s Day is often wrapped in flowers, cards and easy gratitude. But the cinema has always told a more nuanced story. Beyond idealised portraits and comforting cliches, films have explored motherhood as choice, absence, fear, resilience and quiet endurance. We have prepared for this March a series of films that you can watch with your young ones, as well as films that are great conversation starters.
Brave (2012)
Brave is a visually spectacular and emotionally resonant fairy tale that successfully trades a traditional romance for a complex mother-daughter dynamic. Set against a breathtakingly rendered Scottish Highlands backdrop—where Merida’s vibrant, unruly red hair is a technical marvel in itself—the film follows a headstrong princess who inadvertently transforms her mother into a bear while trying to “change her fate.” Though the second act leans heavily into slapstick humour and familiar “body-swap” tropes, the film’s strength lies in its grounded portrayal of reconciliation and the breaking of generational cycles. This film is a spirited, high-energy adventure that empowers its heroine without the need for a prince. Watch Brave on Disney +
Nanny McPhee (2005)
The feeling of parenthood can be found in any place when the right people brought together by odd circumstance. Nanny McPhee is a lesson in humanity but also a lesson in in love for children. Widower Cedric Brown hires Nanny McPhee to care for his seven boisterous and unruly children, who have chased away all previous nannies. Taunted by Simon and his siblings, Nanny McPhee uses mystical powers to instill discipline.
If you’ve seen the first film, you may want to follow up on the story by watching the sequel. Nanny McPhee is on Netflix
Matilda (1996)
Matilda is not about a perfect mother. It’s about a chosen mother. Matilda, who has a strained relationship with her parents and brother, struggles at school because she is special. She despises the headmistress for her cruelty and dislikes her dumb and cheating parents. Ultimately, she resorts to her telekinetic powers to confront them. Watch Matilda on Netflix.
The Sound of Music (1965)
A timeless classic, The Sound of Music is perfect for this spring, appealing to both children and nostalgic adults. Julie Andrews stars as Maria, the lively governess. This time, she does not have the magical umbrella that took her soaring through the skies in Mary Poppins but there are just as many iconic songs. To celebrate the film’s 60th anniversary, it has been remastered in 4K and its soundtrack sounds better than ever. Beyond unforgettable songs like “Do Re Mi,” The Sound of Music continues to impress with stunning landscapes. It also showcases exquisite cinematography, making it a must-study for film enthusiasts. Watch on Disney plus.
Mothers` Instinct (2024)
Motherhood is not warm and protective in this film, but tense and delicate. Mothers Instinct follows the fragility of a scare, the fear of loss and the loss of control. Alice’s Maternal Instinct makes her ask questions about Celine. Celine is her best friend who is going through one of the worst times of her life. Watch Mothers` Instinct now on Prime Video
Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig brings a love letter to the mother-daughter relationship to the cinema screen with this film. A teenage girl in Sacramento, California, is driven by a strong sense of independence. She wants to escape her hometown. She also seeks to leave behind the difficult dynamics with her recently-unemployed father and complicated mother. She is determined to forge her own path in the world. A film about love said badly. The mother in Lady Bird is not warm, but she is present to the point of exhaustion. Their relationship is made of reproaches, silences and small gestures. Perfect for Mother’s Day because it shows something rare. It portrays love that does not know how to express itself. Yet, this love is here to stay. Now streaming on Prime Video
Wonder (2017)
What does life look like for a special child? For special children, parents are their best friends. This is the story of Auggie. He is the unique little boy who arrives on his first day at school wearing an astronaut helmet because he thinks he is ugly. Based on the novel of the same name, the film offers a valuable life lesson for both the bullies and the victims. It also provides a very close look into the close relationship between mother and a bright child with special needs. Now available on Netflix
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The Blind Side (2009)
Michael is not presented as a hero, but as a silent teenager, passed over by the system. It is precisely this silence that makes the relationship with Leigh Anne strong. She does not try to change him, but to protect him. The film suggests that sometimes maternal love begins by seeing someone that everyone else has ignored. Even though the tone is optimistic, The Blind Side does not hide the difficulties; adaptation, social differences, distrust. Motherhood does not come across as a magical instinct, but as daily work. On Mother’s Day, the film reminds us that real care is measured in time and consistency. Watch now on Prime Video
Hamnet (2025)
A mother’s grief in Hamnet. A father’s grief. How a soul dies and a work of art is born, with a legacy that lasts for hundreds of years. After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England. A healer, Agnes must find strength to care for her surviving children while processing her devastating loss. Watch Hamnet now in cinemas.
Little Women (2019)
Little Women is the movie every mom should see on her birthday. If Lady Bird is a love letter to the mother-daughter relationship, Little Women is a poem. Greta Gerwig, through Marmee, doesn’t tell girls who they have to be. She gives them a space to make mistakes, dream, fail, and bounce back. The film suggests that true motherhood doesn’t shape characters but it lets them form. It is a rare idea in cinema, where mothers are often either heroes or obstacles. Little Women doesn’t say “what a wonderful mum”; it says “what it means to be there.” On Mother’s Day this is a movie about late recognition. This is about the things you only understand after you have become an adult and is about love that asks for nothing in return. Watch now on Netflix
Visit our events and activities area for more ideas of things to do with kids in London this season. or have a look at our theatre and dance page to see our selection of family friendly shows.