You Are Not My Mother
A mother returns changed; a daughter must face the truth.
Last updated
It follows teenager Char, whose mother Angela returns with a changed personality after briefly going missing.[1][2] The story is grounded in Irish folklore and explores themes of motherhood and mental illness.[2] Kate Dolan's first feature-length directorial work, the 2021 Irish psychological horror film "You Are Not My Mother", was written and directed by her.[1]
Making and release
Kate Dolan wrote and directed the film, which stars Hazel Doupe as Char, Carolyn Bracken as Angela, and Ingrid Craigie as Rita.[1][2] The production company was Fantastic Films International, with Deirdre Levins as producer.[3] Narayan Van Maele handled cinematography, John Cutler edited, and Die Hexen composed the music.[3] The Cannes Palme d'Or winner "Titane" won the top prize in that section, beating "You Are Not My Mother".[4]
The film runs 93 minutes.[3] Bankside Films handled international sales.[3] The 2021 Toronto International Film Festival's Midnight Madness program hosted the first screening of the film.[5]
What the cited sources add
Alisha Mughal's review for Exclaim! notes the film creates a "doomed and tense atmosphere" through visual terrors and fear of the mother.[2] Ide states the film shares a theme of fae malevolence with other Irish horror films like "The Hallows" and "The Hole In The Ground".[3] The review also notes the film depicts "some particularly grim school bullying".[3] Ide praises the authenticity of the mother and daughter performances, which keep the film on track despite a climax that strains credibility.[3]
References
- Wikipedia, "You Are Not My Mother" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Alisha Mughal, "TIFF Review: 'You Are Not My Mother' Is a Must-Watch for Fans of Classic Horror". Exclaim!, September 17, 2021.; Ide, "'You Are Not My Mother': Toronto Review", Screen Daily, 13 September 2021 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Alisha Mughal, "TIFF Review: 'You Are Not My Mother' Is a Must-Watch for Fans of Classic Horror". Exclaim!, September 17, 2021.. facts only, no text reused. exclaim.ca
- Ide, "'You Are Not My Mother': Toronto Review", Screen Daily, 13 September 2021. facts only, no text reused. screendaily.com
- "'Belfast' Wins Toronto Film Festival's People's Choice Award", TheWrap, 2021-09-18. facts only, no text reused. thewrap.com
- Wikipedia, "You Are Not My Mother" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "'Belfast' Wins Toronto Film Festival's People's Choice Award", TheWrap, 2021-09-18 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article You Are Not My Mother (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
More in Irish horror films
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: You Are Not My Mother (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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