Mother of George | |
---|---|
Directed by | Andrew Dosunmu |
Written by | Darci Picoult |
Produced by | Patrick S. Cunningham |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Bradford Young |
Edited by | Oriana Soddu |
Distributed by | Oscilloscope Laboratories |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
Countries |
|
Languages |
|
Mother of George is a 2013 drama film directed by Andrew Dosunmu [1] and tells the story of a newly married Nigerian couple in Brooklyn who own and manage a small restaurant while struggling with fertility issues. The film was produced by Patrick S. Cunningham [1] and Rhea Scott. [2]
An international co-production of Nigeria and the United States, Mother of George premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. [1] Cinematographer Bradford Young won Sundance 2013's Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic for his work on the film, as well as for Ain't Them Bodies Saints . [3] [4] Mother of George was also selected as the closing night film at the 2013 Maryland Film Festival. [5]
The film was acquired for U.S. distribution by Oscilloscope Laboratories and was given a limited theatrical release on 13 September 2013. [6]
The film opens with the wedding of a Nigerian couple, Ayodele and Adenike Balogun. Adenike is given fertility beads by her mother-in-law, Mama Ayo and although the couple makes love on their first night of marriage, Adenike struggles to become pregnant. Despite drinking tea that is supposed to help with fertility, Adenike is still unable to conceive and faces growing pressure from Mama Ayo. A visit to the doctor reveals that Adenike can receive help on the issue, but Ayodele refuses to cooperate.
Sade mentions adoption but Adenike insists that she wants to give birth to the child herself. Mama Ayo raises a controversial option: Adenike could conceive the child with Ayodele's brother, Biyi. Biyi initially refuses to participate in the scheme but eventually gives in. Following this Adenike becomes pregnant. Ayodele believes he is the father.
The guilt becomes too much for Adenike to bear, and she finally tells her husband the truth. Ayodele subsequently walks out of the marriage and confronts his mother. Adenike goes into labor, and the film concludes as Ayodele joins the others at the hospital.
The film received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 91% rating based on 45 reviews, with an average rating of 7.20 out of 10. The site consensus states "Director Andrew Dosunmu's style takes some getting used to, but Mother of George compensates with powerful acting, a thoughtful script, and gorgeous visuals." [7] On Metacritic it has a score of 77% based on reviews from 21 critics. [8] It has been praised for its excellent camera work, setting, and plot, although the screenplay has received some criticism. [9] It was listed as a New York Times Critics’ Pick. [10]
Zachari Bankolé, known professionally as Isaach de Bankolé, is an Ivoirian actor, active primarily in France and the United States. He won the 1987 César Award for Most Promising Actor for his performance in the film Black Mic Mac, and rose to international prominence for his starring role in Claire Denis' 1988 film Chocolat.
Heights is a 2005 American drama film directed by Chris Terrio and written by Amy Fox, based on her 2001 stage play of the same name. It follows a pivotal twenty-four hours in the interconnected lives of five New Yorkers. It stars Elizabeth Banks, James Marsden, Glenn Close, Jesse Bradford, and John Light. Numerous prominent actors such as Eric Bogosian, George Segal, and Isabella Rossellini appear in supporting roles.
Baby Mama is a 2008 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Michael McCullers in his directorial debut and starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Malco, Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor, with Steve Martin, and Sigourney Weaver.
Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country is a 2008 Danish documentary film directed by Anders Østergaard. It follows the Saffron Revolution against the military regime in Burma. The "VJ" in the title stands for "video journalists." Some of it was filmed on hand-held cameras. The footage was smuggled out of the country, physically or over the Internet. Other parts of it were reconstructed, which caused controversy.
Mother and Child is a 2009 drama film directed and written by Rodrigo García. It premiered on September 14, 2009, at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2010, and was the closing night selection in the 2010 Maryland Film Festival. It had a limited release in the United States beginning May 7, 2010.
A Film Unfinished is a 2010 documentary film by Yael Hersonski.
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front is a 2011 American documentary film by filmmaker Marshall Curry. It tells the story of activist Daniel G. McGowan of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), from his first arson attacks in 1996 to his 2005 arrest by the Department of Justice. The film also examines the ethics of the ELF and the nature of eco-terrorism.
The End of Love is a drama film written and directed by Mark Webber. It stars Michael Cera, Amanda Seyfried and Mark Webber. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically in the United States on March 1, 2013.
Andrew Dosunmu is a Nigerian photographer and filmmaker who came to prominence in the United States after directing music videos for various acclaimed artists including Isaac Hayes, Angie Stone, Common, Tracy Chapman, Wyclef Jean, Kelis, Aaron Neville, Talib Kweli, and Maxwell.
Top of the Lake is a mystery drama television series created and written by Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, and directed by Campion and Garth Davis. It was broadcast in 2013, and the sequel, entitled Top of the Lake: China Girl, in 2017. It is Campion's first work for television since An Angel at My Table in 1990.
Love Is Strange is a 2014 American romantic drama film directed by Ira Sachs. The film had its premiere in the non-Competition programme of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. The film was also screened in the Panorama section of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival.
Rich Hill is a 2014 American documentary film co-produced and directed by Andrew Droz Palermo and Tracy Droz Tragos about Rich Hill, Missouri. The film premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize for a documentary.
Nasty Baby is a 2015 Chilean-American drama film written and directed by Sebastián Silva and starring Kristen Wiig, Silva, and Tunde Adebimpe alongside Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Agustín Silva, Alia Shawkat, Lillias White, and Anthony Chisholm.
Unexpected is a 2015 American drama film directed by Kris Swanberg, and co-written by Swanberg and Megan Mercier. It stars Cobie Smulders as a teacher at an inner city Chicago high school who unintentionally becomes pregnant. One of her students, Jasmine, is also unexpectedly pregnant, and the two bond through planning their futures. The film had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2015. The film was released in a limited release and released video on demand on July 24, 2015, by The Film Arcade.
Where Is Kyra? is a 2017 American drama film directed by Andrew Dosunmu with a screenplay by Darci Picoult and a story by Dosunmu and Picoult. The film stars Michelle Pfeiffer and Kiefer Sutherland.
Tina Mba is a Nigerian actress who was nominated for Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in the 7th Africa Movie Academy Awards.
Binta Ayo Mogaji is a veteran Nigerian actress. According to the film critic Shaibu Husseini, Mogaji has been a part of at least 800 films, television shows, and theater productions.
Over Her Dead Body is a Nigerian comedy film about how mothers love their sons at the detriments of their daughters-in-law. The film was produced by the Pen Pusher production and distributed by a Nollywood distribution company known as Genesis. It was written, produced and directed by Sola Osofisan. It was released January 7, 2022.
Earth Mama is a 2023 drama film directed and written by Savanah Leaf, based on the short film The Heart Still Hums by Leaf and Taylor Russell. It was released theatrically in the United States on July 7, 2023, by A24 and in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2023, by We Are Parable. It won the Outstanding British Debut award at the 2024 BAFTAs and was named one of the top 10 independent films of 2023 by the National Board of Review.