Ma mère (2004)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Christophe Honoré

Writers:

Georges Bataille (novel)
Christophe Honoré (writer)

Release Date:

19 May 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on George Bataille's posthumous and controversial novel: When his father dies, a young man is introduced by his attractive, amoral mother to a world of hedonism and depravity.

Plot Keywords:

Exhibitionism | Slapping | Bdsm | Male Frontal Nudity | Female Frontal Nudity

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Hélène, the Mother
Louis Garrel	...	Pierre, the Son
Emma de Caunes	...	Hansi
Joana Preiss	...	Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Loulou
Dominique Reymond	...	Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Robert
Philippe Duclos	...	The Father
Pascal Tokatlian	...	Klaus
Théo Hakola	...	Ian
Nuno Lopes	...	The Doctor
Patrick Fanik	...	Eric
Susi Egetenmeier	...	Woman in dunes
Sylvia Johnson	...	Woman of couple

Directed by
Christophe Honoré

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Georges Bataille		novel
Christophe Honoré		writer

Produced by
Paulo Branco	....	producer
Dimitri de Clercq	....	associate producer
Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu	....	co-producer
Gabriele Kranzelbinder	....	co-producer
Bernard-Henri Lévy	....	producer
Stéphane Sorlat	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Hélène Louvart

Film Editing by
Chantal Hymans

Casting by
Richard Rousseau

Production Design by
Laurent Allaire

Costume Design by
Pierre Canitrot

Makeup Department
Frédéric Balmer	....	assistant makeup artist
Paul de Fisser	....	hair stylist
Delphine Jaffart	....	key makeup artist
Pierre Olivier Persin	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Joaquim Carvalho	....	unit production manager
Laetitia Fèvre	....	production supervisor
Sylvain Monod	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Gouet	....	assistant director
Sylvie Peyre	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Yannick Heuveline	....	assistant decorator
Arnaud Roth	....	first assistant decorator

Sound Department
Jean-Claude Brisson	....	sound
Pascal Despres	....	boom operator
Frédéric Fichefet	....	sound editor
Bernhard Maisch	....	sound
Joaquim Pinto	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Hugues Espinasse	....	focus puller
Jean-François Hensgens	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Margarida Roberto	....	casting: Portugal

Other crew
Helena Gonçalves	....	production assistant
Maureen Meyer	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Diastème	....	thanks
Gaël Morel	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Madragoa Filmes
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Amour Fou Filmproduktion
• Gémini Films

Distributors

• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Poool Filmverleih (2007) (Austria) (theatrical)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• CMV Laservision (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Italian International Film (2004) (Italy)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2005) (UK) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Arte  tv
• Canal+  tv

Also Known As:

Meine Mutter (Austria)
My Mother (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content.; Rated R for strong aberrant sexuality, some language and violent images. (special edit)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France | Portugal | Austria | Spain

Language:

French | English | German | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:18A | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R (cut) | New Zealand:R18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Canary Islands, Spain

Company:

Madragoa Filmes

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caché (2005)

Soundtrack:

ADAGIO FOR STRINGS

Yuck

A mother (Huppert) and son (Garrel) are living a hedonistic life on some exotic island. They both fool around with the same women. Sounds like a situation with interesting, if twisted, possibilities. But the director has some other agenda - actually several agendas as he is all over the place, unsure what kind of movie he is making. One moment characters are engaging in sexual activities, the next they are spewing pretentious dialog, and then they do something totally unexpected that is seemingly from another movie. The film has no rhyme or rhythm. Some of the scenes are absolutely gross. Although the entire film is incomprehensible, the ending makes no sense whatsoever. Another annoying thing is the director's obsession with graphic male nudity. And what's with Garrel? First he plays a guy who carries on with his sister in "Dreamers," then with his mother in this. A family man.