This short film depicts a short episode of violent rejection experienced by a transsexual person.

 

A woman hurries in a cemetery to attend her mother’s funeral but meets halfway with the crowd of bereaved people. After being fiercely attacked by a group of men, we discover the protagonist is a trans woman.

 

The film manages to show through a brief story the personal drama of a human, but also the issue of a controversial community of transgender people who still have a hard time finding acceptance in conservative societies. The plotline is simple and powerful: a diverse group of people shows no intention of intervening in the personal affairs of the family. Priest and relatives, they all remain passive to the bloody scene that leaves little respect to a day of mourning. The protagonist looks back dignified at the familiar faces, confronting their resentment. Though the face of the actress is revealed at the end, she has a powerful body language and a forceful expression when she confronts the crowd, leaving a strong impression on the viewer.

 

The director masterfully manipulates the cinematic language to create this 5-minute gripping film. The long back shot of the mysterious character walking through the cemetery builds suspense with the help of the strong sound of heels tramping the uncomfortable paths. The hand held camera tracks a determined character, who is ready to face her past.

 

The ending shot is poetic and beautiful, the unconventional woman gets up by herself, walks away and looks back at the frowning faces of the hateful community, like watching a picture of her estranged past, which needs to be left behind once more. The music complements the emotional scene. The length of the shots varies a lot, but each of them has a fitting structure and rhythm, leading to a simple yet effective editing.

 

Taking everything into account, “Mum, I’m Back” is a piece of cinema that depicts a clear and forceful story in less than five minutes, using limited production resources, but a lot of creativity. The director managed to deliver a solid concept, masterfully building the scenes and giving meaning to each action and detail.