Ma Mère (2004)

When his father dies, a young man is introduced by his attractive, amoral mother to a world of hedonism and depravity.

Director:

Christophe Honoré

Writers:

Georges Bataille (novel), Christophe Honoré

Stars:

Isabelle Huppert, Louis Garrel, Emma de Caunes

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Isabelle Huppert	...	Hélène
Louis Garrel	...	Pierre
Emma de Caunes	...	Hansi
Joana Preiss	...	Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Loulou
Dominique Reymond	...	Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Robert
Philippe Duclos	...	Le père
Pascal Tokatlian	...	Klaus
Theo Hakola	...	Ian (as Théo Hakola)
Nuno Lopes	...	Le docteur
Patrick Fanik	...	Eric
Susi Egetenmeier	...	Le femme des dunes
Sylvia Love Johnson	...	Le femme de ménage (as Sylvia Johnson)

Storyline

Pierre, a youth, comes from his grandmother's in France to stay with his parents in the Canary Islands. His father talks oddly about his lost youth and leaves abruptly for France. Mom promises to take Pierre to a nightclub, remarking that people will think he's her lover. He prays. His father dies in France, and his mother wants him to empty his father's office; Pierre finds it full of pornography. His mother takes him in tow into a night world without morality, a world of sexual exploitation, exhibitionism, and wildness. What will Pierre make of this, and what, ultimately, will he make of his mother?

---

Plot Keywords:

public nudity | masturbation | peeing | backgammon | pornography | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

TLA Releasing [United States]

Country:

France Portugal Austria Spain

Language:

French English German Spanish

Release Date:

19 May 2004 (France)

Also Known As:

Ma Mère

Filming Locations:

Canary Islands, Spain

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,334, 15 May 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$70,395, 21 August 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gemini Films,Madragoa Filmes,Amour Fou Filmproduktion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Stereo Stereo (Synchro Film, Austria)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Réa: The last lap is always the best!

---

Connections

Referenced in Caché (2005)

---

Soundtracks

Happy Together
Written by Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon
Performed by The Turtles

User Reviews

remarkable

Remarkably evocative and accurate portrayal of a work by Geroge Bataille. Not having read the particular book it was based on yet it certainly ties in the imagery and methodologies used in other novels of his I have read. Challenging, stylish and original. Probably the most successful adaptation I have seen of a challenging work (with the proviso of not having read the actual work and citing familiarity with his oeuvre). Arguably some of the sex in the middle of the film is superfluous but it soon gets darker and touches upon some of Bataille's more extreme ideas re: religion, sex and death. If an attempt were to be made to film Story of the Eye, the same production team would seem like the ideal choice. Indeed, maybe this will start a trend in filming the fiction /screenplays based on the ideas of others like Foucault / Barthes, etc. That could prove very interesting.