Mother

In a small village in Thailand, Pomm takes care of Europeans with Alzheimer’s. Separated from her children, she helps Elisabeth during the final stages of her life, as a new patient arrives from Switzerland.

Pomm has sacrificed being close to her children in order to earn a better living, meanwhile in Switzerland a family prepares to say goodbye to their mother; a woman who has developed Alzheimer’s in her 50s.

Mother is an intimate and moving observation, that allows us to explore the struggles and expectations of motherhood and the frustrations of being unable to care for our loved ones.

As two narratives collide in this extraordinary coincidence, the powerful connection between patients and caregivers challenge our preconceptions. Both Pomm and her patients are trying to recover the pieces of their lives that are gone, but through love and kindness they will learn to care for each other.

Trailer

Details

Country of Production
Belgium, Netherlands

Year of Production
2019

Format
HD, DCP

Length
52 / 82 min

Director
Kristof Bilsen

Production
Limerick Films in co-production with Man’s Films Productions and HALAL docs, RTBF, VRT and EOdocs, in association with RTS

Original Language
Thai, Swiss German, English

Subtitles
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Dutch, German

Festivals / Awards

Sheffield Doc/Fest 2019 (Special Mention)
Dokufest Prizren 2019
Athens IFF 2019
Gent IFF 2019
Chicago IFF 2019
Hot Springs IDF 2019
DOC NYC 2019
Cork IFF 2019
Rotterdam IFF 2020
DocPoint Helsinki 2020
One World Prague 2020
Docs Against Gravity 2020
Docville 2020
Millenium FF Brussels 2020 (Critique's Choice Award for Best Belgian Film & Audience Award)

// Ensor Award for Best Documentary 2021