Netflix will premiere the documentary film A Child of My Own, directed by two-time Oscar nominee Maite Alberdi, on Thursday, August 13, 2026. The 96-minute production will be available globally to subscribers of the streaming service.
The hybrid feature film combines dramatic performances with interviews from real people involved in a case that shocked Mexico City in June 2009. It tells the true story of Eleonor Alejandra Marín Mendoza, a Mexican woman who faked a pregnancy for months after suffering multiple miscarriages. Overwhelming social pressure to become a mother ultimately led her to steal a baby girl, creating a crime that captured national headlines.
Gato Grande Productions produced the film, which was written by Julián Loyola and Esteban Student alongside Alberdi. The story explores the social stigmas and family expectations that women face when they cannot have children.
Film Festivals and Cinema Release
Before its digital debut, A Child of My Own opened in Mexican movie theaters on July 30, 2026. The documentary was also featured at international film events, including the 2026 Berlinale and the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
According to an official synopsis from Netflix, family pressure pushed Alejandra to her limit before she made the desperate decision to lie. Maintaining the elaborate fake pregnancy led her across an irreversible line, resulting in a widespread media scandal. Netflix stated that the film offers an intimate perspective on the case while examining the elusive nature of truth.
Cast and Production Details
As a docufiction project, the movie pairs actual historical figures with a dramatic cast. Actress Ana Celeste Montalvo Peña, credited as Ana Celeste, stars as Alejandra. The cast also features Armando Espitia, Ángeles Cruz, Luisa Guzmán, Casio Figueroa, Alejandro Porter, Azucena Acevedo, Mayra Batalla, Ana Carrillo, Mayra Sérbulo Cortés, Larissa Goyco, and Tessie Ortega.
The documentary has a total runtime of one hour and 36 minutes. Viewers can watch the film on Netflix starting on its scheduled release date.
