Mia madre
A celebrated Italian director struggles to keep control of her film, her family, and herself while her mother faces a terminal illness.
Overview
A poignant exploration of life’s struggles and the search for meaning amid chaos.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- melancholic
- witty
- intimate
- reflective evening
- arthouse movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Nanni Moretti's skillful fusion of comedy and pathos in a thoughtful drama about artistic doubt and family illness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Margherita questions whether her politically committed films genuinely reflect the world while struggling to control her own production.
The troubled film set and Ada's serious illness unfold together, linking Margherita's directing crisis to her family responsibilities.
Barry's chaotic behavior and the film-set absurdity interrupt, but do not dispel, Margherita's distress over her mother's decline.
The protagonist is an Italian film director working with an international cast and crew while navigating family life in Italy.
Films like Mia madre, and why
8½
shared blend of family grief, self-questioning artistry, and understated comedy
The Son's Room
shared maternal illness, emotional restraint, and intimate family drama
Day for Night
shared filmmaker protagonist, creative crisis, and bittersweet comic pathos
Amour
shared focus on aging, caregiving, and painful personal reassessment
Movie Details
- Director
- Nanni Moretti
- Release Date
- 2015-04-16
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (385)
Cast
- Margherita Buy
- Nanni Moretti
- John Turturro
- Pietro Ragusa
- Antonio Zavatteri
- Giulia Lazzarini
- Beatrice Mancini
- Stefano Abbati
- Enrico Ianniello
- Anna Bellato
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, OVID
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mia madre about?
- A celebrated Italian director struggles to keep control of her film, her family, and herself while her mother faces a terminal illness.
- What is Mia madre like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mia madre as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Mia madre violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Mia madre.
- What did critics think of Mia madre?
- Critics broadly praised Nanni Moretti's skillful fusion of comedy and pathos in a thoughtful drama about artistic doubt and family illness.
- Which films are like Mia madre?
- Films with a similar feel include 8½, The Son's Room, Day for Night, and Amour.
- How long is Mia madre?
- Mia madre runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mia madre?
- In United States, Mia madre streams on fuboTV, OVID.
