130 Children

130 Children (Spanish: 130 Hermanos, lit. '130 Brothers') is a 2022 Chilean-Costa Rican documentary film directed by Ainara Aparici (in her directorial debut)^[1] and written by Aparici & Susana Quiroz. It depicts a large family, starting with 7 members and ending with 130, raising 30-40 heart children per generation while the parents grow older.^[2]

130 Children
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ainara Aparici
Written by	Ainara Aparici Susana Quiroz
Produced by	Ainara Aparici Daniela Camino
Cinematography	Eduardo Guaita
Edited by	Rosa Ordoñez
Music by	Edu Svart, Max Zagal
Production companies	Atomica Films Sputnik Films Kuter Casa Productora Mimbre Films
Release date	May 5, 2022 (2022-05-05)
Running time	71 minutes
Countries	Chile Costa Rica
Language	Spanish

Synopsis

In San José, Costa Rica, Melba (65) and Víctor (70) have a constantly expanding family, with six biological children and over 130 foster children in the past 40 years. Despite their advancing age, the couple continues to embrace the challenges of raising a large family. Some of their children are now embarking on their own paths towards adulthood, while a new child is gradually integrating into this bustling home. Despite the adventures and difficulties that come with such a large family, it continues to grow and thrive.^[3]

Background story

In 2010, the director Ainara Aparici began to travel around Latin America,^[4] she arrived in Costa Rica and there she met Melba and was impressed with her story and decided to make a film.^[5]

Release

130 Children premiered on May 5, 2022 in Chilean theaters.^[6]

Campaign

130 Children also inspired the team to create a foundation and a campaign called Acoger es, which seeks to promote and publicize the importance of foster families in Chile.^[7]