A touching film that many will relate to
Added 11/22/2009
The film focuses on a powerful moving drama of a young boy, Eero, 9, is confused with the emotions of abandonment, rejection, love and acceptance. Haunted by the past, 60ish Eero confronts his mother about what transpired in his youth.
Told in flashback, the story begins during WWII, Young Eero's father has died. He is one of 70,000 Finnish children who were sent to Sweden families for temporary custody and safety. Eero is sent to a childless family where he doesn't understand the language, is unwanted by the surrogate mother, Signe, more accepting by the father Hjalmar, and often confused about the whereabouts of his own mother, confused by her actions.
Although the relationship between Signe and Eero is cold and distant, predictably, the mood changes when Signe confides in Eero the truth about the death of their child.
The 2005 film is based upon a book but directed by Klaus Haro and received numerous awards for his second film. His fame is his debut film Elina: As If I Wasn't There ( Elina - Som om jag inte fanns ) [Import - Sweden ]. Notice the "Film Movement" on the packaging, a company that distributes foreign films that have otherwise, not been accessible in the mainstream. The films are quality, good writing, with great directing and actors.
About the film, Klaus Haro, the director, said: ...... we can capture something universal in the feelings of exclusion and rootlessness that we associate with the experiences of the war children. The themes are strongly relevant to any child who has been separated from his/her parents, to anyone for whom growing up has generally been hard due to the secrets they carry in their heart".
This is true, many people will be touched by this film, understanding the anguish of abandonment, rejection, love, acceptance, etc.
The cinematography illustrates beautiful sweeping views of the countryside, beautiful but low key mood music. The film is touching, see it with the entire family. .....Rizzo
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Great foreign language film
Added 4/9/2009
Mother of Mine tells a very sparce and moving story of the consequences of war. With good intentions, the people of Finland work out an arrangement to send their children to Sweden. This story of one boys experience and the transformation that takes place for him and his adoptive family is truly moving. Grab a box of tissue...
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Must See, Must Own
Added 10/30/2008
This film is set around Finland's evacuation of more than 70,000 children to Sweden, Denmark and Norway during World War II. The story focuses on one of the war children, a nine year old Finnish boy and emphasizes the intricate psychology of its characters, brought to life by its powerful cast. The film is directed by Klaus Haro, Finland's most significant director. The screenplay is by Jimmy Karlsson and Kirsi Vikman, based on the novel by Heikki Hietamies. The film provides insights into the ways adults use children to fulfill their needs. This is an amazing piece of art that will capture your emotions with its spectacular acting, cinematography and narrative. You do not want to miss this experience and it might even give you the urge to call your mother.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Two mothers, one war child
Added 4/29/2008
When Russia bombed Finland in World War II, more than 70,000 Finnish children were sent to neutral Sweden by their parents to escape the horrors of war. This film personalizes that history by focusing on one family's story. The film begins when Eero Lahti makes an emotional return to Sweden as an adult for the funeral of the mother who welcomed him into their home, and with him confessing to his aged mother about his lifelong feelings of abandonment by her. The movie then reverts to 1943 when Eero was only nine years old. The Swedish host family, Hjalmar and Signe, had its own motives, both good and bad, for hosting a "war child" from Finland, and then its own ways of dealing with Eero once he was with them. Eero's biological mother, Kirsti, had her own deeply mixed emotions of guilt, regret, and love, along with horrible choices to make during the war. In between these two mothers is little Eero who as an adult still deals with the psychological complexities of two mothers who loved him in their deeply human but broken ways. In Finnish and Swedish with English sub-titles.
3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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Amazing Film!!!
Added 11/22/2007
This film has always haunted me. I saw it two years ago on a long flight and was completely struck by it's quality...the photography is completely breathtaking, the writing and storyline is top-notch, and the acting and directing is superb. Being adopted I think this film has an added bittersweetness for me yet it's accessable to anyone because of its complete loyalty to the characters. This film is a true delight, and heartbreak, from beginning to end. It plays like a dream within a dream.
The woman who plays the adopted mother steals the show as you see her emotional range from one end of the spectrum to the complete other end. I felt every single thing she was going through. This is film making at its most beautiful. Bravo!!!!!
7 out of 7 people found this helpful.
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