A Certain Mother interweaves the stories of four women from across Australia as they navigate the challenges of parenthood - offering an intimate look into social issues, and a snapshot of motherhood today.

Interview with Director/Producer Mihaal Danziger

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I started conceiving of this film when my third child was turning one. I felt at that time a tremendous shift from being a “young mum” with babies, those blurry years when you’re mostly focused on just keeping them alive, to suddenly becoming a fully fledged adult, with little people whose needs become more complex by the day. My kids’ habits, their struggles, their stumbles - were like one giant mirror reflecting back both my own unresolved issues, and those of our society. I wanted to make a film about this. I wanted to find women whose own stories could shed light onto mine.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

For anyone who’s a parent, it’s a chance to pause for a moment and consider this humble, yet colossal, work of raising children. For anyone who has ever confronted issues relating to mental health, or to their identity, to body image or to being different - it’s a chance to untangle and reconsider some of our deepest held beliefs. And for anyone interested in the real face of motherhood - this a very honest and intimate look into this world: full of humour, frustration, tenderness and exhaustion.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

Through the lens of motherhood, the film takes a close look on themes of disability and difference, body-image and feminism, depression and anxiety, identity and relationships. These themes are examined through the very personal stories of four mothers, yet they tap into issues that affect us all. As the stories weave together, the shared human experience of motherhood comes to light: one that transcends our personal, particular circumstances.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

Originally I conceived this to be a TV series - with separate stories, each shedding a light both on motherhood and on a particular topic. It was only after making the first three stories, and with considerable input from Jasmine, that we decided to pivot from this concept and aim to interweave the stories instead into one piece. It suddenly became clear that the different threads connect with each other, and speak with each other, and the whole became bigger than its parts.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

People who have watched the film have said it really stayed with them. I've also been told that it’s the sort of film you want to talk about with your best friend over coffee. The funniest feedback was from fellow filmmaker Sally Aitken: After having her viewing cut short by a family situation, Sally says she woke up in the middle of the night and had to, just had to, go back and continue watching to the end - I thought that was a pretty good sign.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

Quite early on I realised that each viewer will experience the stories very differently. The same character might be seen as very insecure by one person, and extremely confident by another. Ultimately the stories meet each viewer wherever they are in their own life, and their impressions and takeaways are the result of that meeting. As the filmmaker I found that very interesting.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

We Are Moving Stories is about reflecting the world we see around us, and I love for A Certain Mother to be part of that world. It’s also an opportunity to connect the film with an engaged community, to raise its visibility, and to tell people: come watch it at the 2022 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival!

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

At this stage we are looking for everyone and anyone who can help take this film out there to the world, and bring it to the audiences who are thirsty for it.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I would love for people to come out of the film with a tangible sense of just how huge the work of parenting really is. I also hope it will support and inspire parents who are facing similar issues, and prompt all of us to reconsider some of our deeply held ideas of right and wrong, good and bad.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

What is really the role of a parent? What can we do to raise people who are comfortable in their skin? Who are resilient, and kind? Can we help them cope better with the world they are growing into?

Would you like to add anything else?

This indie production was made over the course of four years, and it can be a very dispiriting experience at times. I am grateful that along the way I came across filmmakers who generously gave of their time and expertise, and helped push me past those breaking points - Rebecca Barry, Diana Fisk, Phoebe Hart, Felicity Blake and Sally Aitken each helped nudge this film forward at one point. Kirsten Johnson helped too, though unbeknown to her, in a very inspiring talk she gave for AIDC 2021. Lastly, WIFT Australia was amazingly supportive throughout the making of the film. I think it can’t be stressed enough, that raising a film too, takes a village.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

Throughout the making of A Certain Mother I fell in love with editing! I am looking forward to focusing more on this craft in the near future, working with other creatives in shaping new and inspiring stories.

Interview: June 2022

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

A Certain Mother

Length:

1:12:00

Writer/Director

Mihaal Danziger

Mihaal is a documentary maker with a love for people-centred stories. She has produced and directed short documentaries, interviews and animations, while also facilitating film workshops with vulnerable communities. Her work includes locally producing for Say What, an Emmy Award nominated documentary series. A Certain Mother is her feature debut.

Producer

Producer- Mihaal Danziger; Associate producer- Jasmine Yuen Carrucan

Jasmine began her career working in the camera department of films helmed by local and international directors such as Jane Campion, George Miller, Deepa Metha, John Woo and Quentin Tarantino. An editorial apprenticeship on Kill Bill Vol 2 broadened her film education and preceded the writing and directing of the feature film CACTUS. This Awgie Award nominated mystery-thriller screened in numerous film festivals, including Shanghai, Brooklyn, and Munich where Jasmine was nominated for best debut feature film director.

Looking for:

sales agents, distributors, buyers

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mihaal.danziger/

More info:
https://a-certain-mother.yolasite.com/

Where can I watch it now?

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival