Movie Digest
In the 1990s, Xiaoxian lives in a mountainous village in Chongqing, China, with her parents and three younger sisters. Her mother is in her late 30s and expecting her fifth kid since Xiaoxian’s grandma, and her father prefers a male child. In Xiaoxian’s memories, two births and three deaths occur in a single week.
The Feel-Good Part
The film is very visually pleasing with all the lush countryside. We are also able to capture the lifestyle of people in that period.
The Disappointing Factor
There is nothing to pinpoint as the disappointing factor.
In-Depth Analysis
Mama is both a throwback to the past and a contemplation on life, death, and family. The filmmaker, Li Dongmei, tells a narrative about time, loss, and the circle of life and how these impact the lives of a community, a family, and ultimately your own. This film is very much related to her life experience. She lost her mother when she was twelve years old and living in rural China with the rest of her family. This event left an impression on her, and filming a documentary about it was a good way for her to process it. The film depicts daily living for seven days. The first five days pass slowly while family members eat together, work in the fields or go to school, and await the birth of the mother’s fifth child. The mother gives birth at home on the fifth day night. However, complications arise, and she passes away. Preparations of the funeral arrangements were in the following days, including selecting a burial location and holding funeral rituals involving the local villagers. The film adopted a documentary style. The camera mirrors the director’s perspective on these memories and images, capturing the essence of a moment, these individuals, and their environment before changing or fading back into darkness. Director Li achieves emotional depth without using non-diegetic music or on-screen dramatization. The use of a slow pace only elevated the emotions and plot of the film.
Star Power
The cast of this film are non-professionals, but they did a great job. They were able to evoke emotions in the viewers.
Overall Opinion
Mama is a moving and visually stunning family story. Highly recommend it!
