Holy Mother - SIFF [2024]

Holy Mother [2024]

Film

This film was viewed at the 50th Seattle International Film Festival

Possibly an Ari Aster-esque commentary on inheriting the flaws, or debts--spiritual or physical--of our parents, Emma (Daniela Brown) was passed down the dreams of her father upon his passing. Now tasked with repopulating the Spanish borders and spreading the Christian faith in the 9th Century, as the Crusades rage on, she's found herself as the Abbess of a remote convent at the age of 17. Is this newfound power and position a gift, or a curse?

Writer-Director Antonio Chavarrías' Holy Mother (also titled La Abadesa) is an ambitious middle-aged epic that follows Emma on this spiritual conquest, against the machinations of a patriarchal society and dogmatic religion that wishes to see her fail. Featuring stunning landscapes and set designs, Chavarrías's film is an immersive experience, fitting you amongst the ranks of nuns under the tutelage of Emma. The only problem is, that Emma's convent is not one of prayers and penance but a congregation of outcasts, misfits that were sent to the edge of the world by their fathers to avoid humiliation. You can imagine Emma's shock, arriving as the leader of a convent to promote Christianity, only to find more pagan predispositions accompanied by outrageous allowances from her sisters' fathers to keep them from wanting to return home. Emma's job not only has to confront a male ideology of power, but now she must convince the nuns to abide by her rules and help her spread the faith. Oh and did I mention she's 17?

Holy Mother [2024]

The deck is truly stacked against Emma, and Brown's performance as the young embattled Abbess is the incredible backbone of the film. Resolute, and solemnly powerful she wields her influence with a careful reticence that reflects the ethos of the time. Men are in disbelief that she wishes to go outside the walls of the Abbey, attempting to reach the poor and starving villagers who may or may not be Muslim, as they would believe that an Abbess would simply wish to pray inside the walls. Are the walls of the Abbey protection from the ongoing war between Christians and Muslims or are they serving a more nefarious purpose as a prison for the ambitions of women like Emma?

But of course, we can't just have a powerful feminine character being questioned for her power but she also must be questioned for her emotions. Her brother begins to question her romantic interests in a helpful deacon, Eduard (Ernest Villegas), leading many to be dubious of her ability to lead. However, time and time again Emma's stalwart dedication to her mission and faith provide a template for her followers, effectively shown through Chavarrías' detailed, albeit slow, screenplay. The contrast between the bright snowscape outside and the dark candle-lit interior of the convent are fantastic elements hinting at the varying dueling ideologies in the film. Dogmatic religious ideals versus more forgiving ones, patriarchal standards against an egalitarian society, and the simple idea of combatting violence with caring and goodwill. Taking in a young Muslim girl to the convent shows Emma's more flexible approach to the Christian texts (hello to the old love thy neighbor parable) while old men continue to be threatened by her actions.

In the end, Chavarrías' middle-aged epic is grand in scale as it is effective in storytelling. While slow at times, and possibly benefitting from a shorter runtime, the story is thematically sound if not entirely due to Brown's revelatory performance. Commanding the screen at every turn, especially ringing true at the inquisition of her actions by a papal arbiter, she brings a fantastic quiet power to the film that elevates the castaway nuns and outcast villager characters into another level of humanity. Bringing the entire project into the scope of fighting the dogmatic appraisal of religion, instead opting for something more caring, human, and gentle in the face of wild adversity.

Froth

While not completely dark in nature, Holy Mother provides a lot of great thinking points through its meandering, slow storytelling.

That sounded like I didn't like the movie, but I did! More importantly I think a slower film that requires some pondering also deserves a slow sipper of a beer, something a little darker but not too heavy. That's where the Cannonball Oatmeal Porter from Jellyfish Brewing comes into play. It's heavy but light to drink at the same time, thanks in part to the flaky properties of brewing with oats. But this porter still holds the wonderful roasty darkness of a robust porter, and the oats provide a wonderfully smooth mouthfeel making it easy to drink and even easier to enjoy.