Ma mère (2004)

Director:

Christophe Honoré

Writers:

Georges Bataille (novel)
Christophe Honoré (writer)

Release Date:

19 May 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Based on George Bataille's posthumous and controversial novel: When his father dies, a young man is introduced by his attractive, amoral mother to a world of hedonism and depravity.

Plot Keywords:

Canary Islands | Island | Exhibitionism | Suicide | Sucking On Finger

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Hélène, the Mother
Louis Garrel	...	Pierre, the Son
Emma de Caunes	...	Hansi
Joana Preiss	...	Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut	...	Loulou
Dominique Reymond	...	Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin	...	Robert
Philippe Duclos	...	The Father
Pascal Tokatlian	...	Klaus
Théo Hakola	...	Ian
Nuno Lopes	...	The Doctor
Patrick Fanik	...	Eric
Susi Egetenmeier	...	Woman in dunes
Sylvia Johnson	...	Woman of couple

Directed by
Christophe Honoré

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Georges Bataille		novel
Christophe Honoré		writer

Produced by
Paulo Branco	....	producer
Dimitri de Clercq	....	associate producer
Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu	....	co-producer
Gabriele Kranzelbinder	....	co-producer
Bernard-Henri Lévy	....	producer
Stéphane Sorlat	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Hélène Louvart

Film Editing by
Chantal Hymans

Casting by
Richard Rousseau

Production Design by
Laurent Allaire

Costume Design by
Pierre Canitrot

Makeup Department
Frédéric Balmer	....	assistant makeup artist
Paul de Fisser	....	hair stylist
Delphine Jaffart	....	key makeup artist
Pierre Olivier Persin	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Joaquim Carvalho	....	unit production manager
Laetitia Fèvre	....	production supervisor
Sylvain Monod	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julie Gouet	....	assistant director
Sylvie Peyre	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Yannick Heuveline	....	assistant decorator
Arnaud Roth	....	first assistant decorator

Sound Department
Jean-Claude Brisson	....	sound
Pascal Despres	....	boom operator
Frédéric Fichefet	....	sound editor
Bernhard Maisch	....	sound
Joaquim Pinto	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Hugues Espinasse	....	focus puller
Jean-François Hensgens	....	first assistant camera
José Carlos Loureiro	....	grip

Casting Department
Margarida Roberto	....	casting: Portugal

Other crew
Helena Gonçalves	....	production assistant
Maureen Meyer	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Diastème	....	thanks
Gaël Morel	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gemini Films
• Madragoa Filmes
• Amour Fou Filmproduktion
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)

Distributors

• Gemini Films (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Atalanta Filmes (2004) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Aventi (2005) (France) (DVD)
• Cooperative Nouveau Cinema (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Italian International Film (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Poool Filmverleih (2007) (Austria) (theatrical)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Alfa Films (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• CMV Laservision (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Revolver Entertainment (2005) (UK) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Meine Mutter (Austria)
Mi madre (Spain)
My Mother (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong and aberrant sexual content.; Rated R for strong aberrant sexuality, some language and violent images. (special edit)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

France | Portugal | Austria | Spain

Language:

French | English | German | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:R | Canada:18A | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R (cut) | New Zealand:R18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | France:-16 | Italy:VM18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Canary Islands, Spain

Company:

Gemini Films

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Caché (2005)

Soundtrack:

Happy Together

Rotten at the Core

It is ironic that the protagonist in "Ma Mere" evolves from a "believer" into an "agnostic" after the tutelage in depravity offered him by his mother. Ironic, because certainly if ever there were a film that inspired--demanded--moral judgement upon its characters, it is this one (all the more so, when one views the alternate ending on the DVD). And yet, the message of the film (if there is really any) is that there is no place for judgement--or any hope of redemption. This turns a rather pornographic character study into a third rate tragedy. I remember the grave controversy that erupted over Bertolucci's "Luna" in 1979. How open minded (or, how low we have sunk, depending on your take on the matter) we have become as filmgoers that "Ma Mere" hardly caused a ripple. Indeed it is "Luna" to the tenth power. Although the plot does little more than provide a reason for the cast to engage in fornication, incest, homosexuality, domination, abuse, flaying (sort of), etc., Isabelle Huppert as the mother, and Louis Garrell as her son, are excellent (and beautiful)--as usual. That they have lent their talents to camouflaged exploitation can best be described as "unwise", though some critics have called it "courageous." "The pleasure only begins when the worm is in the fruit", the mother tells her son at one point in the picture. You can be sure this fruit is rotten at the core.