The Eyes of My Mother
Director: Nicolas Pesce
Talent: Kika Magalhaes, Will Brill, Olivia Bond, Joey Curtis-Green
Release Date: 24th March
Owing much to the writings of Shirley Jackson — particularly her novel We Have Always Lived in the Castle — Nicolas Pesce’s directorial debut is a disturbing, atmospheric but only partially successful horror movie.
It tells the story of Francisca — played as a child by Olivia Bond and as an adult by Kika Magalhaes — who, raised by her oddball parents on a secluded farm with almost no contact with the outside world, takes drastic and bloody action to combat her loneliness.
As an exercise in mood, this is an evocative and effective work. Pesce shoots in sumptuous black-and-white, and though the film is set in the present day, the production design and the protagonist’s isolation combine to give it the feel of a period piece, like a slice of poisoned Americana. However, you won’t find much substance if you scratch beneath the surface, emotional or intellectual. Not bad as a calling card, then, but next time Pesce should make sure there’s a bit more meat left in the bone.
Words – Felipe Deakin
