MOMMY

A widowed mother who has to raise her violent son alone finds new hope when a mysterious neighbour joins her household.

Xavier Dolan began his career as a director at the age of 19 when he presented his first feature film in Cannes - an event that naturally caused quite a (positive) stir. There was no stopping Dolan: he released a new film almost every year. In 2014, he was back in Cannes with his fifth feature film, ‘Mommy’, for which he also won the Jury Prize. The film tells the story of Diane (Anne Dorval), a single mother who tries to tame her impulsive, difficult-to-raise son Steve (Antoine Olivier Pilon). Their fragile relationship is influenced by their neighbour Kyla (Suzanne Clément), whose empathy brings new hope. Mommy stands out due to the intensity of the drama, the incredible closeness we build up with the characters and the unusual picture format. The square box, through which we are granted an intimate insight, transports us into the characters' world of thought. This film cemented Xavier Dolan as an exciting voice of his generation that must be seen and heard. (Text: Kino und Krawall)