My Mother’s Smile tells the story of a man whose “martyred” mother is in the process of canonization. She had been killed by her insane son, Egidio, while she slept. However, since this death would not count as “martyrdom”, and would not qualify her for sainthood, the family is claiming she had been awake, begging her son to stop blaspheming, and that she had forgiven him before she died.
The story is told from the perspective of her son Ernesto, a well-known painter and an atheist. The film portrays a colorful fresco so hypocritical to Catholicism today, showing how hard it still creeps into our lives, even against our will (as the protagonist shows). He often remembers for the delivery of a blasphemy explicit narrative tension at maximum (for this reason in Italy it was rated not suitable for kids who are less than 14 years old).
My Mother’s Smile is a 2002 Italian film directed by Marco Bellocchio and starring Sergio Castellitto, Jacqueline Lustig, Chiara Conti, Piera Degli Esposti, Gigio Alberti, Alberto Mondini, Gianfelice Imparato and Maurizio Donadoni. The original Italian title is L’Ora di Religione (Il sorriso di mia madre) (“The Hour of Religion (My Mother’s Smile)”).
My Mother’s Smile (2002)
L’Ora di Religione
Directed by: Marco Bellocchio
Starring: Sergio Castellitto, Jacqueline Lustig, Chiara Conti, Piera Degli Esposti, Gigio Alberti, Alberto Mondini, Gianfelice Imparato, Maurizio Donadoni
Screenplay by: Marco Bellocchio
Production Design by: Marco Dentici
Cinematography by: Pasquale Mari
Film Editing by: Francesca Calvelli
Costume Design by: Sergio Ballo
Set Decoration by: Paola Riviello
Music by: Riccardo Giagni
Distributed by: New Yorker Films
Release Date: April 19, 2002
Views: 79
