Mariana Chenillo’s Lucca’s World was released by Netflix on January 31, 2025. Adapted from Bárbara Anderson’s autobiographical book Los dos hemisferios de Lucca, it follows a mother travelling to India in search of an experimental treatment for her son, who has cerebral palsy.
Searching for treatment
Bárbara, played by Bárbara Mori, is determined to improve Lucca’s quality of life. The story leads her towards a treatment involving a device called a Cytotron. Financial difficulties and her husband Andrés’s doubts make the decision to travel with the family harder.
Pressures on the family
The film explores the sacrifices parents make for children with particular care needs. Difficult access to treatment, financial pressure and emotional exhaustion shape the family’s decisions. Bárbara’s determination and love form the centre of the story.
A convincing ensemble
Mori conveys both strength and emotional conflict, especially in moments of doubt and despair. Julián Tello brings the young Lucca’s difficulties and pleasures into the family portrait. Juan Pablo Medina gives Andrés a nuanced position between support and scepticism.
Hope through bright images
Chenillo has a sensitive eye for the details of family relationships. Bright, hopeful images sustain the optimistic tone even during difficult passages, reflecting Bárbara’s belief in a better future for her son.
Real events, dramatic telling
The real-life basis gives the film a sense of authenticity. Its acknowledgement that events have been dramatised helps establish the nature of the telling. The experiences portrayed nevertheless offer an affecting view of the pressures placed upon this family.
Where the story is too simple
There are weaknesses alongside the moving story and strong performances. The plotting follows predictable patterns, and certain characters remain superficial. More exploration of their internal conflicts would have added depth. A more critical treatment of the ethical questions and possible risks associated with experimental medicine would also have made the film more complex.
A moving family drama
Lucca’s World is a moving family drama about a mother’s dedication to her child. Its depiction of hope, sacrifice and the limits of medicine invites reflection. Despite some narrative weaknesses, the convincing family portrait and forceful performances carry it.
Verdict
For viewers drawn to stories of family solidarity and overcoming difficulty, this is an affecting and inspiring portrait of a family facing extraordinary pressures.