Y Tu Mamá También

Two Mexican teens, Tenoch Iturbide and Julio Zapata, meet Luisa Cortés, a confident older woman who agrees to join their spontaneous road trip. They push off in a dusty car chasing a sense of freedom and the thrill of new experiences. Along the coast and through small towns, banter gives way to honesty, secrets spill, and boundaries blur as attraction deepens. The trio faces awkward truths, rivalries and the weight of growing up under a society that both invites daring and imposes limits. The ride tests their friendship and their ideas about love and identity in a country where change feels urgent. By nightfall they learn the trip is as much a discovery of themselves as of each other.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón and co written with his brother Carlos Cuarón, the film was released in 2001 as a bold Mexican drama that blends coming of age with social realism. It premiered at multiple international festivals, drawing attention for its fearless performances.

It earned about 33.6 million worldwide on a modest 5 million budget, signaling strong appeal beyond Mexico and helping launch its two young leads Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna to global audiences and later projects.

The film sparked broad discussion about sexuality, class and gender in Latin American cinema, especially for its unflinching performances and landscapes that feel like characters. It raised Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna onto the world stage and helped inspire a wave of daring, adult toned dramas.

Critics lauded the intimate dynamic among Tenoch, Julio and Luisa, Cuarón's direction, and the film's unflinching look at adolescence. The movie explores desire, class, and identity with a raw honesty that avoids clichés while showing the costs and rewards of growing up. Critics praised its balance of humor and honesty.