Documentary backdrop image for 130 Children (2021)

Documentary backdrop image for 130 Children (2021)

202174 minPG-13documentary

6.0/ 10(2 ratings)• TMDB

Family Dynamics

130 Children

202174 minPG-13documentary

6.0/ 10(2 ratings)• TMDB

More than 130 children have been fostered by Melba and Víctor in Costa Rica over the past 40 years as they adapt to the challenges of aging.

Family Dynamics

Genres

Director

Synopsis

More than 130 children have been fostered by Melba and Víctor in Costa Rica over the past 40 years as they adapt to the challenges of aging.

People

Ainara Aparicidirector

Ainara Apariciwriter

Susana Quiroz Saavedrawriter

Synopsis

Melba and Víctor have fostered over 130 children in their Costa Rican home over the past 40 years. Now in their 60s and 70s, they continue to welcome new children while managing the challenges of aging. The documentary presents the personal stories of these children as they transition into adulthood. It captures the evolving dynamics within the household and the strong bonds that develop in this large, diverse family. Melba and Víctor's dedication to providing a nurturing environment remains evident throughout.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

Venezuela's New Generation of Lost Children (2026)

Venezuela's New Generation of Lost Children

In the barrio Santa Rosa de Agua, single mothers Carolina and Kiara struggle to survive amid Venezuela's collapse, leaving their children vulnerable to violence and trauma.

Venezuela's New Generation of Lost Children

The Family Who Adopted 6 Blind Children From Around the World (2026)

The Family Who Adopted 6 Blind Children From Around the World

A couple in Colorado opens their home to six blind adopted children, showcasing the diverse definitions of family life in the series World's Most Extraordinary Families.

The Family Who Adopted 6 Blind Children From Around the World

Child's Transition "Awakened" the Mom (2026)

Child's Transition "Awakened" the Mom

A Maryland couple raises 14 children, ensuring they stay together while a family in Detroit experiences two significant gender transitions.

Child's Transition "Awakened" the Mom

Alone, Together (2026)

Alone, Together

Cynthia reconnects with her biological mother after years apart, reflecting on their shared Acadian heritage and personal journeys.

Alone, Together

Young Carers: The Children Sacrificed to Care for Others (2019)

Young Carers: The Children Sacrificed to Care for Others

Around 700,000 young carers in the UK manage the responsibilities of caring for loved ones, often facing challenges that most adults struggle to cope with.

Young Carers: The Children Sacrificed to Care for Others

Birth of a Family (2025)

Birth of a Family

Four siblings, separated as infants during Canada's Sixties Scoop, reunite in Banff, Alberta, to explore their shared history and familial bonds.

Birth of a Family

The little angel of Colombia (2020)

The little angel of Colombia

At nine years old, Alveiro began caring for the elderly in Bucaramanga, Colombia, providing food and companionship to those in need.

The little angel of Colombia

The Cross-Generational Devastation of AIDs in Mozambique (2016)

The Cross-Generational Devastation of AIDs in Mozambique

Four brothers in Mozambique navigate life as orphans in a country grappling with the stigma of AIDS, facing daily struggles for survival and hope.

The Cross-Generational Devastation of AIDs in Mozambique

15,000 Kids and Counting: The Transition (Adoption) (2019)

15,000 Kids and Counting: The Transition (Adoption)

Last year, over 15,000 children in Britain were waiting to be adopted, double the number from five years ago.

15,000 Kids and Counting: The Transition (Adoption)

Paper Children: Fear and Hope in America's Asylum System (2020)

Paper Children: Fear and Hope in America's Asylum System

121 individuals have been picked up in raids, as families face the challenges of seeking asylum in the United States amid a complex immigration system.

Paper Children: Fear and Hope in America's Asylum System

The Receptionist: Caridad Cerbito Morales (2025)

The Receptionist: Caridad Cerbito Morales

In a rural pension house in the Philippines, 77-year-old Caridad Cerbito Morales navigates life as a widow while longing to reconnect with her estranged child.

The Receptionist: Caridad Cerbito Morales

A Pregnant Trans Man Faced His Greatest Fear During Childbirth (2026)

A Pregnant Trans Man Faced His Greatest Fear During Childbirth

A transgender father navigates the complexities of childbirth while confronting his greatest fears, alongside stories of unconventional relationships.

A Pregnant Trans Man Faced His Greatest Fear During Childbirth

Explore 130 Children

People Topics FAQ

Where else to watch

Alone, Together (2026)

Alone, Together

Cynthia reconnects with her biological mother after years apart, reflecting on their shared Acadian heritage and personal journeys.

Alone, Together

No digital watch option in your country

Birth of a Family (2025)

Birth of a Family

Four siblings, separated as infants during Canada's Sixties Scoop, reunite in Banff, Alberta, to explore their shared history and familial bonds.

Birth of a Family

No digital watch option in your country

Because We Were Born (2009)

Because We Were Born

2009•1h30m•★7.0TMDB

Eight siblings live in a cramped house in Pernambuco, Brazil, as two half-brothers face the daily challenges of poverty at just thirteen years old.

Because We Were Born

The Chilean Building (2010)

The Chilean Building

2010•1h36m•★7.0TMDB

Sixty children are cared for by 20 adults at a community center in Chile after their parents return to fight against the military dictatorship in the late 1970s.

The Chilean Building

With This Light (2023)

With This Light

2023•1h27m•★5.5TMDB

More than 87,000 Honduran children have benefited from Sister Maria Rosa Leggol's efforts to help them escape poverty over her 70-year career.

With This Light

By My Side (2012)

By My Side

Eleven-year-old Fabiola faces a choice between loyalty to her mother and joining a youth center far from Chureca, Central America's largest dump.

Choosing Children (1984)

Choosing Children

1984•45m•★4.0TMDB

Forty-five minutes of candid interviews reveal the challenges faced by lesbian and gay parents in the United States during the 1980s.

Choosing Children

Browse more like this

Venezuela's New Generation of Lost Children (2026)

Venezuela's New Generation of Lost Children

In the barrio Santa Rosa de Agua, single mothers Carolina and Kiara struggle to survive amid Venezuela's collapse, leaving their children vulnerable to violence and trauma.

Venezuela's New Generation of Lost Children

No digital watch option in your country

Young Carers: The Children Sacrificed to Care for Others (2019)

Young Carers: The Children Sacrificed to Care for Others

Around 700,000 young carers in the UK manage the responsibilities of caring for loved ones, often facing challenges that most adults struggle to cope with.

Young Carers: The Children Sacrificed to Care for Others

No digital watch option in your country

15,000 Kids and Counting: The Transition (Adoption) (2019)

15,000 Kids and Counting: The Transition (Adoption)

Last year, over 15,000 children in Britain were waiting to be adopted, double the number from five years ago.

15,000 Kids and Counting: The Transition (Adoption)

No digital watch option in your country

Loving Martha (2022)

Loving Martha

2022•1h15m•★8.0TMDB

Martha shares her story of surviving 39 years of domestic violence with her granddaughter Daniela, who aims to turn it into a film.

If the Mango Tree Could Speak (1992)

If the Mango Tree Could Speak

1992•58m•★9.0TMDB

Ten children, ages 12 to 15, share their experiences of growing up amid war in Guatemala and El Salvador, discussing themes of peace and identity.

If the Mango Tree Could Speak

The Family (2024)

The Family

Five children were raised by Nermina and Marinko over 39 years of marriage, amid the challenges of war and loss in their hometown of Srebrenica.

Carmela and the Walkers (2025)

Carmela and the Walkers

Thousands of Venezuelans receive free shelter from a 56-year-old woman and her family living near the Ecuadorian-Colombian border.

Carmela and the Walkers

Shelter (2026)

Shelter

2026•1h32m•★6.0TMDB

Madai, Shanel, Rosmer, and Victoria, displaced LGBTQ+ individuals, find support and friendship at a shelter in Guatemala City while seeking a better life in the U.S.

Ernesto, Gracias (2022)

Ernesto, Gracias

In Costa Rica, Liliana navigates a challenging medical system while seeking treatment for her autistic son Ernesto, as her daughter Laura documents their struggles.

Ernesto, Gracias

Black Rain in My Eyes (2024)

Black Rain in My Eyes

Four blind daughters live in Syria while their father, a poet, tries to shield them from the realities of war as he prepares for a poetry forum.

Black Rain in My Eyes

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →