MAMÁ

View IN-PERSON at The Cinematheque: Sunday, Aug 28, 4:45pm

View ONLINE (from anywhere in Canada): August 25 – September 4 (extended to September 11!!)

*Geo-blocked for viewing in Canada only.

“As a Mexican Tsotsil, I grew up between revering the sacredness of the Virgin of Guadalupe and Mother Earth. As a son, I grew up surrounded by derision for not having a father present in my life and blaming my mother for it. My film, Mamá, is a dialogue between mother and son exploring our contradictions, the ways we know and appreciate each other, and reflecting on naturalized violence and its reproduction down through generations.” – Director Xun Sero

In this deeply moving dialogue between mother and son, Mexican Tzotzil director Xun Sero confronts his past with honesty, understanding and forgiveness…. Guided by the desire to understand who his mother is, Sero has created an extraordinarily sensitive first film where both mother and son open a dialogue in an attempt at self-discovery. Bravely, together, they open the door to a room of darkness and unknowns and begin to walk down a path of healing. – Heather Haynes, Hot Docs

Como un mexicano Tsotsil, yo crecí entre las sagradas Virgen de Guadalupe y la Madre Tierra. Como hijo, yo crecí entre la burla de no tener un papá y culpando a mi madre por eso. Mamá es un dialogo entre madre e hijo explorando sus contradicciones, conocernos y reconocernos, reflexionamos la violencia naturalizada y reproducida.

XUN SERO
Xun Sero was born in 1988 in Chiapas, Mexico. He built his filmmaking experience in the workshops of “Ambulante Más Allá” and “CCC con Patas,” and in the Documentary Film School of San Cristóbal de las Casas. He currently works as a cinematographer in documentary film productions. His most recent works are Negra by Medhin Tewolde and Kuxlejal/Vida by Elke Franke. He’s strongly interested in stories of life struggles. Most of his stories centre on the experiences of Indigenous peoples, and he works deeply to develop the real cultural heritage of the characters and avoid clichés. Mamá is his first film as a director.