Mother

It’s the year 1948 in Calcutta – in the monastery, Mother Teresa is waiting for the letter that will grant her permission to create her own order. In addition to the endless waiting, she’s anxious about the starving masses in the streets as well as a pregnancy that occurs within the monastery. The situation has Mother pondering over her relationship with God and faith and re-evaluating the reasons behind her calling. Does her great desire to help originate from God’s will and orders, or simply from her own vanity?

Director Teona Strugar Mitevska’s flowing narration is complemented by masterfully constructed visual expression: plain rooms and the pale light that’s continuously gleaming from the window give off pure monastery vibes, and Gothic and punk elements also have a significant influence on the film’s aesthetic. The frames are simultaneously magnificent and intimate; they sneak up onto the viewer’s skin.

Mother is a kind of an origin story: a depiction of how Mother Teresa became Mother Teresa. Despite its temporal context, the film has a modern grasp of the topics it presents, and even the Eurovision Song Contest -winning song Hard Rock Hallelujah is heard on the soundtrack.

Vilja Hynynen