Mother
A sweeping Armenian family drama follows survivors of the 1915 genocide as they carry memory, grief, and identity into refugee life abroad.
Overview
A poignant tale of survival amidst unimaginable horror, exploring the resilience of the human spirit.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- mournful
- solemn
- compassionate
- historical reflection
- world cinema night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Zakarian family survives the 1915 Armenian genocide and attempts to rebuild as refugees in a foreign country.
The family's life is presented against the systematic murder of Armenians by the Young Turk government.
The surviving Armenian family becomes displaced among foreign people after fleeing the Ottoman Empire.
Rather than following military or political leaders, the film concentrates on a simple family's survival and life afterward.
Films like Mother, and why
The Cut
historical displacement, survivor testimony, and intimate family drama centered on genocide's aftermath
America America
diaspora identity, intergenerational trauma, and a community rebuilding after mass violence
The Promise
refugee experience, cultural memory, and emotionally direct historical family storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Henri Verneuil
- Release Date
- 1991-11-27
- Runtime
- 157 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (29)
Cast
- Claudia Cardinale
- Omar Sharif
- Nathalie Roussel
- Isabelle Sadoyan
- Jacky Nercessian
- Richard Berry
- Cédric Doucet
- Tom Ponsin
- Stéphane Servais
- Serge Avédikian
Common questions
- What is Mother about?
- A sweeping Armenian family drama follows survivors of the 1915 genocide as they carry memory, grief, and identity into refugee life abroad.
- What is Mother like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mother as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Mother violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Mother as graphic.
- Which films are like Mother?
- Films with a similar feel include The Cut, America America, and The Promise.
- How long is Mother?
- Mother runs 157 minutes.
