Hot Milk is the directorial debut of BAFTA-nominated writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz, and follows Sofia (Mackey) and her ailing mother Rose (Shaw), who travel to the Spanish seaside town of Almería to meet Dr Gómez (Vincent Perez), an enigmatic healer who may hold the key to Rose’s mysterious illness.
The synopsis for the film says: “As long-buried tensions simmer between them, Sofia finds herself drawn to the magnetic and free-spirited Ingrid (Krieps).
“But as the sun beats down, Sofia’s growing independence and search for freedom become too much for her controlling mother, forcing her to question the true nature of Rose’s illness.
“Secrets, lies and revelations emerge, leading Sofia to doors that might be best left unopened.”
Speaking with Radio Times ahead of the film’s cinema release, Lenkiewicz admitted that “some people are very angry at the ending”, saying that “they just want to be told what happened, but most people embrace the ambiguity – and they love to talk about what happened”.
She added: “I was very specific about wanting some dark screen time before the credits come up. And for me, that’s time for people almost to bring the film back to themselves. I think it’s a hopeful ending, but everyone has a different take.”
Meanwhile, Shaw said: “I didn’t read how it would end on the page, Rebecca sculpted it as she went along.
“It’s quite different in the book. And I think [it’s a] tremendous ending. When I saw it, I was shocked!”
Hot Milk is now showing in UK cinemas. It will arrive on MUBI on 22nd August 2025.
Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
