With Mommy, Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan reintroduces his theme focusing on the complex relationship between an adolescent son and his unorthodox mother. In contrast to the utter negation he expressed in the title of his debut I Killed My Mother (J’ai tué ma mère, 2009), in his fifth film he allows his characters hope for reconciliation. World cinema’s mischievous "child prodigy” took away the Jury Prize from this year’s Cannes festival.
Teenager Steve, who has been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and his unorthodox single mum scrap viciously to gain the upper hand at home, throwing vulgar words around and even resorting to physical violence. The rapid-fire exchanges of dialogue hurled at one another in Canadian French slang, the feverishly edited fight scenes, and later the moments of respite and nascent understanding – thanks to neighbour Kyla – are shot with compelling vitality and sincerity. "In my first film I felt like I wanted to punish my mom; now I’m seeking her revenge,” says Xavier Dolan, whose debut I Killed My Mother (J’ai tué ma mère) caused a sensation in 2009 when it was screened in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight. Back then the filmmaker was twenty years of age; this year he competed at Cannes with his fifth film and took away the Jury Prize, which this "child prodigy” from Francophone Canada shared with celebrated veteran of world cinema Jean-Luc Godard.
134 min / Color, DCP
Director Xavier Dolan
/ Screenplay Xavier Dolan
/ Dir. of Photography André Turpin
/ Music Noia
/ Editor Xavier Dolan
/ Producer Nancy Grant, Xavier Dolan
/ Production Metafilms
/ Cast Suzanne Clément, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Anne Dorval
/ Contact Artcam Films, Sphere Films International
/ Distributor Artcam Films
Xavier Dolan (b. 1989, Québec, Canada) is the son of Québecois actor Manuel Tadros. He has appeared onscreen since age 4, when he acted in commercials, and he has continued to act while directing, for both film and TV. His own movies command well-deserved attention at international film festivals, with his debut leading the way: I Killed My Mother (J’ai tué ma mère, 2009), Canada’s choice for the Oscars and Césars, was presented at Cannes in 2009 in the Directors’ Fortnight, where it won three awards. Then came Heartbeats (2010 – Open Eyes, KVIFF 2010), Laurence Anyways (2012), and Tom at the Farm. His latest film, Mommy, joined the main competition this year at Cannes.
Artcam Films
Rašínovo nábřeží 6, 128 00, Praha 2
Czech Republic
Phone: +420 221 411 619
Fax: +420 221 411 699
E-mail: [email protected]
Sphere Films International
4200, Saint-Laurent Blvd, Suite 1200, H2W 2R2, Montreal, Québec
Canada
Phone: +1 514 866 3020, +1 514 827 6428
E-mail: [email protected]
Přemysl Martinek
Film Institution Rep., Producer
Artemio Benki
Distributor, Film Director, Producer
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