The Eyes of My Mother

About The Eyes of My Mother

The Eyes of My Mother is a thriller horror movie released in 2016. Directed by Nicolas Pesce in his directorial debut, the film follows the story of a young, lonely woman who is traumatised by the unfathomable events of her childhood which unleashes an abyss of terror. The theme revolves around the impacts of solitude, savagery and sorrow on a disturbed mind. The story unfolds in black and white, effectively depicting the grim and ghastly narrative.

Making / Production

Directed by Nicolas Pesce and produced by Borderline Presents and Tandem Pictures, this American movie was shot in just 22 days. The dull yet apprehensive moments in the film were captured in black and white by cinematographer Zach Kuperstein thereby setting an eerie mood which is reflective of high contrast and low light cinema of old times.

Actors

• Kika Magalhaes as Francisca: Kika's riveting performance portrays a psychologically disturbed woman who evolves into a monster due to her secluded and traumatic past.
• Diana Agostini as Mother: Diana plays the role of the mother who introduces Francisca to surgery and anatomy, her performance seethes an unsettling feeling of dread.
• Will Brill as Charlie: Brill's performance as Charlie, the criminal who befalls an unnatural destiny at the hands of Francisca, is truly terrifying.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film is shot entirely in black and white.
• It was completed in less than a month's time.
• The script was written by the director Nicolas Pesce.
• The director Pesce lists his inspirations for the film as being varied, including works by Japanese horror manga artist Junji Ito, and cinema by filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch.

Awards

While "The Eyes of My Mother" had a limited release, it received critical acclaim and won the Special Jury Recognition award for Kika Magalhães at Fantastic Fest in 2016 for her heart-wrenching and terrifying portrayal of Francisca.

Quotes

• "I remember I was fascinated by how the insides of the body looked."
• "You always kill the things you love."
• "Why would you do that? You're my only friend."

Music, Soundtrack

• The movie does not heavily feature music, instead, it relies on silence and ambient sound to boost the atmospheric horror. However, the occasional dramatic and haunting compositions by Ariel Loh deeply underpin the dark narrative, and its disturbing undertones.