Motherland
An honest and intimate look at the complexities of grief and healing, Jennifer Steinman's “Motherland” is about resilience, triumph of the human spirit and the power of unconditional love. It also reminds us of the vastly different ways in which disparate cultures confront deeply felt personal challenges.
Each year over eight million families around the world suffer the loss of a child. In Steinman’s moving and inspiring first feature, a 17-day trip to South Africa transforms the lives of six grieving women from across the US. Unexpectedly and eight thousand miles from home, each finds comfort and healing in a landscape that appears, at first, to offer little more than melancholy.
Prior to their journey, the six intrepid women of “Motherland” have each suffered the death of a child but otherwise have little in common. And although the anticipation of a long, emotional journey with a group of strangers evokes anxiety, the women all share a desire to make sense of their tragedies and to move forward with their lives. They travel half way around the world where they live with local families and work with African organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children. As they come to know each other, they assist teachers in over-crowded day care centers, lead activities with abused and at-risk teens and help care for physically-challenged youth. The work is meaningful and rewarding and a welcome reprieve from the depression, isolation and stagnation of life at home. In the end, the women share not just their stories and their pain but themselves – with and for each other and even more profoundly, with the children who touch their hearts at every turn.
"Motherland" was the winner of this year's Emerging Visions Audience Award at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. Its other awards include the Jury Prize for Best Feature at the 2009 Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival and Best Documentary at the 2009 California Independent Film Festival.
Rating: NR, Running Time: 80 minutes
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...
"Incredibly moving and inspiring. An Oscar contender for sure."
(Jeffrey Lyons/KNBC)
"Outstanding."
(Darlene Donloe, LA Watts Times)
"It is hard not to be moved by this simple but effective documentary."
(Eric Monder, Film Journal International)
"Four stars. It gives new meaning to the term 'good grief'"
(Dan Lybarger, eFilmCritic)
"Steinman's "Motherland" captures magnificently both the painfulness of the grief being experienced and the beauty of the world that remains."
(Richard Propes, Independent Critic)
"An incredibly insightful and important documentary"
(Dann Gire, Chicago Daily Herald)
"Striking"
(Paul Hood, PennLive)
"It finds unexpected love in the period after loss"
(China Bialos, Campus Circle)
"Motherland can be applauded"
(George Lang, The Oklahoman)
"You must see this film."
(Lionel, Air America Radio)
"'Motherland' succeeds by simply presenting its story and lets the audience find their own message."
(Ryan Michael Painter, In Utah This Week)
"Heartbreaking and transformative"
(Felicia Feaster, Charleston City Paper)
"Four stars"
(Kam Williams)
"Profoundly engrossing"
(Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru)
"Uplifting, heartfelt and poignant"
(Wilson Morales, Black Film)
"Beautifully done"
(Marie Asner, Phantom Tollboth)
"Touching"
(Paul O'Donnell, Beliefnet)