Motherland DVD
DVD Review by Kam Williams
Headline: DVD Documents Mourning Moms’ Humanitarian
Mary Helena, Anne, Kathy, Debbi, Barbara and Lauren have little in common besides having each experienced the sudden death of a child or sibling. Anne’s teenaged daughter Grace slit her own wrists on New Year’s Day during their vacation in
Mary Helena’s grief was compounded by the fact that her boy had predicted at the age of 13 that he would be dead within two years because living was so dangerous for him as a black male in
What brought these six females from different backgrounds together was an opportunity to heal afforded by a humanitarian mission to minister to less fortunate folks in
Directed by Jennifer Steinman, Motherland chronicles the altruistic effort of these still-grieving women to put their own sadness on a back burner temporarily in order to alleviate the suffering of AIDS orphans, and at-risk, abused and physically-challenged children. Not surprisingly, this endeavor proved easier said than done, as they did end up crying on each other’s shoulder and bonding over the course of their stay.
Particularly poignant is the relationship which evolves between Mary Helena and Anne who is empathetic despite the stroke victim’s inability to verbalize her feelings. Anne ostensibly feels that her daughter’s suicide has turned her into a more compassionate person capable of understanding that Mary Helena simply might be too overwhelmed by her host of woes to talk yet.
The movie’s title was inspired by the particularly moving tableau towards the end when Mary Helena does finally find her voice while spreading her son’s ashes into the air, as she wistfully whispers into the wind, ”you made it home to the Motherland, didn’t you?” The cinematic equivalent of a profound expression of condolences aimed at anyone with an aching emptiness in their soul due to the loss of a loved one.
Excellent (4 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 80 minutes
Studio: Vanguard Cinema
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