Drm has seen the horror film: the eyes of my mother. Considering what modern horror movies look like, “The Eyes of My Mother” is a very positive surprise. The qualities of the movie enables it to stand out and the experience remains imprinted in our minds for some time. It’s not the classical horror we might expect. It’s a deep, thrilling story revealed in front of our eyes in a classy way which stimulates our imagination and pushes us to think.
“The Eyes of My Mother” presents life seen through the eyes of a young person which never had the chance to become a mature adult. A girl which is harmed by fate and doesn’t have the same sense and understanding of the world and morals as a mature human being. Francisca – played by young Kika Magalhães– is heavily influenced by her mother played by Diane Agostini which is raising her. At different points of time the girl experiences the death of both parents. She’s developing her interest in human anatomy while realising how lonely she is. During the movie Francisca kills different characters but in her case it’s hard to say that she commits the crimes. She’s not aware of what she really does and has strong reasons for her actions, she just doesn’t want to be alone.
Many aspects of this movie have been realised with a minimalistic approach which in this example works really well for the story. There are only a few characters, the plot is chronological by dividing the film into chapters and fantasy montage of sequences eliminates the confusion in viewer’s minds while leaving the headspace for our imagination and interpretation. Also, the dialogue is minimalistic. Many parts of the movie doesn’t require any dialogue as the image itself tells the story.
The movie is visually stunning. Clear, beautiful imagery seem to be perfectly planned before filming. The decision to do the movie in black and white works really well for this dark story. The choice of yellow colour of the subtitles which appear on the screen once in awhile, only adds to the vintage feel of the movie. There are certain scenes which are repeated during the film; the view from a car or from a window, always used in the most appropriate moments.
The sound in the film can only be described in as positive way as the visual side. There is no commercial songs in the movie, every piece has been written and recorded with this particular movie in mind. Additionally, the film is not filled with sounds as much as possible but the music appears only when it really can add some excitement. It’s an element used with taste.
“The Eyes of My Mother” is definitely one of the most intriguing movies that came out recently. It tells a very dark and strange story which might not be enjoyed by everyone. However it’s been realised with extreme attention to details, in a classy and professional way that makes the viewer reflect on the story and explore the mind of Francisca. Nicolas Pesce definitely deserves to be praised for writing and directing this excellent movie, his debut on the big screen.
The Eyes Of My Mother is in cinemas from 24th March
