MOTHERS
Birutė Kapustinskaitė
Lithuania
The story of two mothers who have to let go of each other in order to grow.
SYNOPSIS
Aldona is the single mother of a daughter that will soon become a mother herself. Miglė, her daughter, comes to visit her on the seaside.
Aldona tries to show care, but instead starts controlling her. She wants to convince Miglė to move back to live with her – Aldona has even decorated the separate room for the baby – but instead, she just pushes her away.
During the night the contractions start unexpectedly together with the new chapter: Aldona has to finally accept her solitude and let her daughter go in order to grow.
INTENTION
Most of us have experienced motherly love that at some point becomes suffocating. In taking this theme and making a film out of it I was interested in a mother’s perspective. How does she feel, when her only child is about to become a mother herself? How does a parent, who has raised a kid alone, feel when she has to let her go? All the anxiety and control that come out hide the vulnerability and solitude that are experienced deep inside. By choosing to take care of others, we are afraid to meet ourselves.
The film’s tone is light: the colors are bright, the seaside atmosphere is shown on the beach and in the interiors, the acting is subtle; an irritating character is lovable, annoying actions are understandable. The camera is static – like from the family picture book or slowly moving – like the waves in the sea. On the screen we often stay with the mother: her solitude is shown between the lines.
I was raised by a single mother myself. Now I experience the same subtle controlling patterns in my own relationships. Film is the perfect place to explore it, let others recognize themselves and, like the main character, find the strength to let it go and become free through accepting your solitude.
DIRECTOR
Birutė Kapustinskaitė
Birutė has been working as a screenwriter for about ten years. She has received the Golden Cross Award as Best Playwright in Lithuania, and got the Best Screenplay Award during Aubagne Film Festival in France for the feature film Sasha Was Here. Birutė teaches screenwriting at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. The short film Mothers is her directorial debut.
PRODUCER
Rūta Petronyte
Rūta has more than 8 years experience in the film industry and during that time she gained a lot of experience in different productions. Rūta has produced two feature films by now, one of which is Sasha Was Here, where her collaboration with Birutė started.
Genre
Drama
Length
15 min
Language
Lithuanian
Shooting location
Lithuania
Production company
Artbox (Lithuania)
Estimated budget
€65.000 (entirely financed)
Looking for
Sales, Distribution, Buyers