Une autre mère

I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival in September '05, near the end of the festival. By that time, I have seen enough, and I am quite critical: I will walk out on films (I almost never do that!), or resent a mediocre film for wasting my precious TIFF time.

Not this film. I can't think of a reason why I shouldn't give this beautiful film a 10. It had me literally from the opening shot, right through to the credits. When I see a film like this, it makes me wonder what American film makers are doing, offering rehashes of stuff we saw thirty years ago (think Batman, Star Wars, even King Kong).

Here is a wonderful story, gut wrenching at times, painful to see, but compelling. Maria Lundqvist as Signe is amazing to watch, as is Topi Majaniemi as Eero. Michael Nyqvist (Hjalmer) is sublime in the supporting role.

Beautiful cinematography, fabulous acting, a great thought provoking story. What more could you ask for at the cinema?

My final comment on "Mother of Mine:" Find a way to see this film.

This movie is amazing as it is simply beautiful. Never a movie I have seen with such a delicate subject made into big screen so beautifully. Its a story of a kid who has to leave his mother to be safe from bombing and gets into another country to other parents who lost their child in some accident. The kids longing for his own mother and in time love for his new mother is depicted amazingly by the child, he is absolutely brilliant kid actor. Also brilliant acting by both the women in the central character's and also the kid's new father is superb in his role. The movie shows how the war has affected everyone using a simple story yet based on some true events of evacuating kids to a safer land, removing them from their birth parents. Its a very touching movie. I am actually beginning to love foreign language movies for their excellent depiction of human nature in a very caring and sensitive ways.

I used to think that it's silly to cry over something like a movie and that it's only girls that do so - until now. I felt like being torn apart when realizing the pain Signe felt when she realized that there was nothing in the world she could do to keep Eero.

It was beautiful to see the development of the bond between Signe and Eero, and it made the outcome so hard to bear. It was easy to understand how deep wounds were left in the souls of the Finnish children that were sent to "safety" in Sweden during WWII.

This is a film everybody should see. It shows a depth I have NEVER seen on the movie screen.

Thank you Klaus Haro!

This film is about a Finnish boy who got sent to Sweden during the Finish-Russian War in 1939.

The film is very powerful, touching and affecting. There are so many memorable scenes where nothing is said, and yet they convey a thousand words. An example is that Eero's mother seeing a priest coming to their house. The despair and hopelessness is portrayed so vividly, and yet not one word is said. Maria Lundqvist deserves particular recognition for her acting skills. She plays every emotion very naturally. From the initial rejection and disgust to the eventual love and trust, these emotions are all so natural and real. Another point that deserves mention is that the present days are in black and white while the past is in colour. Such an arrangement is not so usual, and yet suits this film well. The soundtrack is very good, it really captivates and enhances the mood and emotions of the scenes.

The plot is particularly touching, especially when one is reminded of the fact that 80,000 children had a similar fate during the war. I am glad to have a chance to watch this film, and I urge others to watch this too!

I saw this at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival today to a sell-out crowd with a very engaging Finnish director, Klaus Härö present. This film had real heart and honesty. It can and should be appreciated both in and outside of Scandanavia.

The film highlights a significant event in Finnish history -- that during WWII, around 70,000 Finnish children were sent to Sweden among other countries to be temporarily hosted as their real parents stayed in Finland to continue in the war. The story is made accessible and immediate by taking us through the experiences of one child -- Eero (Topi Majaniemi) -- who as a 9-year old boy is dealing with language differences, a desire to return home, and a host family that can provide materially, but maybe not in the non-material ways that Eero really needs.

That the film stays true to the viewpoints and desires of the child really makes this movie work. From the opening sequences, the warring environment was clear. As the movie continued, the sense of the unknown, a certain amount of foreboding and the ever-present desire to connect with family was also subtly introduced to give a very full sense of the conflict within this child's mind. The soundtrack nicely complemented everything the movie was going for.

This is a great total package with a movie that is assured, concise and crafted from a very fine director. This film gets my recommendation. Moreover, I'm very much looking forward to seeing the next film from this decidedly capable director!