Fusing classic horror ingredients with gothic black-and-white imagery, The Eyes of My Mother is the hauntingly beautiful, shockingly original debut of American filmmaker Nicolas Pesce. It premiered at Sundance last year where it was described by Eric Kohn of Indiewire as “the discovery of the festival.”
Young Francisca (played by Kika Magalhaes in a breakout performance) lives a sheltered life on a remote farm with her parents. While her father is somewhat distant, Francisca’s loving mother – a former surgeon – is thoroughly involved with her daughter’s upbringing and education, teaching her about religion and anatomy. But when Francisca’s idyllic life is shattered by a violent encounter, she’s left profoundly traumatised, with the event rousing a morbid curiosity within her that slowly evolves over the years that follow…
Invoking the rural dread of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and the grim poetry of Nekromantik, Nicolas Pesce’s extraordinary debut is a real treat for any discerning horror fan.
