dear mom,

From the intimacy of presence grows the pain of loss. In this short film programme, four filmmakers reach out to a mother or grandmother on the other side of the camera. This results in formally very different documents, which in each case explore memories and search for a shared language. In each of these films, it is language that determines the narrative’s cadence. The fact that we sometimes don’t fully understand is a way to gain insight into the other person’s story.

As a viewer, you are asked to listen carefully, paying attention to voice and intonation, as well as non-verbal gestures—a poetic exploration of the often-unspoken ways in which we communicate.

Followed by a conversation with filmmakers Fairuz Ghammam and Niko Wei.