(Y)our Mother

Samira, the youngest of five, brings her divided family together to confront a silence they’ve all carried – and finally give their mother a voice.

Director:
Samira El Mouzghibati

Genre:
Drama, Documentary

Year:
2004

Duration:
96 minutes

Rating:
13+

Country:
Morocco

Language:
French, Arabic, Rifain

Subtitling:
English, Arabic

Cinematography: Victoire Bonin

Editing: Lenka Fillnerova

Production: Michigan Films, co-produced by Visualantlantics & Pivonka Production

Awards: FIPRESCI Award & Zonta Award - Visions du Réel - Nyon, France - 2024 | Prize for Best Editing - Brussel International Film Festival - Brussels, Belgium - 2024

Début Status: Jordanian Première

Synopsis

Bonded by a long-silenced tragedy that left their mother on the outside, Samira grew up on the margins of her sisters’ tight-knit embrace. Over time, they stopped saying “our mother” and began calling her “your mother,” as if she no longer belonged to them. With a camera in hand, Samira brings the family together for a rare encounter, one that seeks to unravel old wounds and, for the first time, let their mother speak for herself.

Director’s biography

Born in Belgium to Moroccan parents from the Rif region, Samira El Mouzghibati studied editing and scriptwriting at INSAS Brussels. She gained experience working on diverse projects with directors in Geneva, Marrakech, Marseille, and Brussels, spanning fiction and documentary films.

Driven by cinema's transformative power, Samira directed her debut documentary, (Y)OUR MOTHER (Les Miennes), blending personal and universal stories while exploring her roots. Her work delves into intimate subjects, aiming to redefine the boundaries of cinematic storytelling.