Mother Mother (2024 film)

Mother Mother
Directed by	K'naan Warsame
Written by	K'naan Warsame
Produced by	Alex Kurtzman Jenny Lumet Andrea Calderwood
Starring	Maan Youssouf Ahmed Elmi Rashid Elmi Hassan Najib Ubah Egal
Cinematography	César Charlone
Edited by	Sabine Hoffman Geraud Brisson
Music by	Isobel Waller-Bridge
Production companies	Secret Hideout Potboiler Productions 25 Stories
Release date	September 6, 2024 (2024-09-06) (TIFF)
Running time	107 minutes
Countries	Canada Kenya Somalia United Kingdom United States
Languages	Somali English

Mother Mother is a 2024 drama film written and directed by K'naan Warsame,^[1] in his directorial debut after being previously best known as a hip hop musician. The film stars Maan Youssouf Ahmed as Qalifo, a widowed mother in Somalia who must go to extraordinary lengths to restore the peace after her son, Asad (Elmi Rashid Elmi), is drawn into a violent confrontation with American tourist Liban (Hassan Najib).^[2]

Plot

On a lonely farm in rural Somalia, the widowed Qalifo (Maan Youssouf Ahmed) and her college-age son Asad (Elmi Rashid Elmi) raise camels. Asad lives in the shadow of his late father's violent reputation and bristles at Qalifo's strict parenting, escaping to a nearby village whenever he can. And when Asad learns his girlfriend has been seeing another boy, the American visitor Liban (Hassan Najib), a confrontation is inevitable.

Cast

• Maan Youssouf Ahmed as Qalifo
• Hassan Najib as Liban
• Elmi Rashid Elmi as Asad
• Ubah Egal as Kadro

Production and release

The film was partially based on a real incident from Warsame's own life in Somalia prior to his family escaping to Canada as refugees.^[3] The lead character is named in memory of his aunt, who died of cancer just as production began on the film.^[4]

A co-production of companies from Kenya, Somalia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, the film premiered in the Discovery program at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.^[5]

Critical response

Beandra July of IndieWire graded the film a B+, writing that "by the end of 'Mother Mother' it dawned on me that this is precisely the kind of movie I come to TIFF for, a real voice that disabuses me of my assumptions, and my cynicism from the pain of watching so many movies that erase and belittle the Qalifas of the world. A movie that sends me back out into the light of day wondering."^[2]

At TIFF, the film won the FIPRESCI Prize.^[6]

References

1. Shea, Courtney (September 6, 2024). "'This movie is about the overlooked': K'naan Warsame on his first feature film, Mother Mother". Toronto Life. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
2. July, Beandrea (September 8, 2024). "'Mother Mother' Review: A Slow Burn Somali Drama Defies Expectations with a Complex Study of Familial Ties". IndieWire. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
3. Vourlias, Christopher (September 6, 2024). "'Wavin' Flag' Singer K'naan Warsame Dips Into His Own Life Story for Film Director Debut, 'Mother Mother'". Variety. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
4. Gheciu, Alex Nino (September 6, 2024). "K'naan got tired of the spotlight. So he stepped behind the camera for his debut film". The Canadian Press. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
5. Ntim, Zac (July 24, 2024). "TIFF 2024: Laura Carreira's 'On Falling' & 'Bonjour Tristesse' Starring Chloë Sevigny Among Titles Set For Discovery Sidebar". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
6. Pond, Steve (September 15, 2024). "'The Life of Chuck' Wins Toronto Film Festival's People's Choice Award". TheWrap. Retrieved September 15, 2024.

External links

• Mother Mother at IMDb