Aldona is the single mother of a daughter, Miglė, who is soon to become a mother herself. When Miglė comes to visit for the weekend during the last days of her pregnancy, Aldona tries to show how much she cares, but instead starts to control her daughter. Step by step, Aldona pushes the boundaries between the two, until she crosses the line. Original Title Motinos Year of production 2021 Length 15min Country Lithuania Shooting Format ARRI Aspect Ratio1.85:1 DialogueLithuanian DirectorBirutė Kapustinskaitė Producer Rūta Petronytė, Kęstutis Drazdauskas Production UAB "ARTBOX" Writer Birutė Kapustinskaitė CinematographerVytautas Katkus (LAC) Editor Gabrielė Urbonaitė Production Design Justė Vazgytė Sound DesignerDominyka Adomaitytė Costume Designer Marija Zalensaitė Music Dominyka Adomaitytė CastAldona Vilutytė, Laima Akstinaitė, Felipe Souza Melo, Dovilė Šilkaitytė
Festival selections Alice nella Città 2021, Italy - World Premiere Spirit of Fire Film Festival 2022, Russia Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris" 2022, Lithuania Ismailia International Film Festival 2022, Egypt - Jury Special Mention Riga International Short Film Festival 2ANNAS 2022, Latvia Festival du Film Subversif de Metz 2022, France FEST - New Directors/New Films Festival 2022, Portugal Beach Film Festival 2022, Republic of North Macedonia Toko Film Festival 2022, Italy Monterrey International Film Festival 2022, Mexico Bengaluru International Short Film Festival 2022, India Elba Film Festival 2022, Italy DC Shorts International Film Festival 2022, USA Linea d’Ombra Festival 2022, Italy Litauisches Kino Goes Berlin 2022, Germany Lublin Film Festival 2022, Poland Eastern Neighbours Film Festival 2022, The Netherlands Vilnius International Short Film Festival 2023, Lithuania - Best National Short Film Award Festival de Cine Global de Santo Domingo 2023 Festival Internacional Dona i Cinema, Mujer y Cine - Woman & Film 2023, Spain
Director's Note I guess we all have experienced motherly love that at some point becomes suffocating. By taking this theme and making a film out of it I was interested in a mother’s perspective. How does a mother feel, when her only child is about to become a mother herself? All the anxiety and the wish to control enables Aldona to hide from the vulnerability and solitude that is lying deep inside her. By choosing to take care of others sometimes we just hide our fear to meet ourselves. I experience the same subtle controlling patterns in my own relationships. The film is a perfect place to explore it, let others recognize themselves and – like the main character – find the strength to let it go and become free through accepting your solitude.
