Mother Mara

by Mirjana Karanović

Mati Mara, orig. Majka Mara, 2024, fiction, co-production, digital DCP, c, 96 min
Finished

RS, CH, LU, SI, BA, ME

Mara, a successful businesswoman and single mother, suddenly loses her son Nemanja to an untimely death. She clamps up and refuses to show emotions being repulsive and unavailable for any communication on the subject with her friends and family. With buried trauma deep inside of her, she meets Milan, Nemanja’s friend. Milan is someone she intends to use to find out about her son’s life. Emotions they both share toward Nemanja and his sudden death brings them together and initiate physical relationship.

based on the book by
Tanja Šljivar
screenwriter
Mirjana Karanović, Maja Pelević, Ognjen Sviličić
director
Mirjana Karanović
producer
Snežana van Houwelingen
co-producer
Andrea Staka, Thomas Imbach, Adrien Chef, Paul Thiltges, Vlado Bulajic, Lija Pogacnik, Damir Ibrahimovic, Jasmila Zbanic, Nemanja Becanovic
music composer
Ephrem Luchinger
film editor
Lazar Predojev
production designer
Dragana Bacovic

featuring
Mirjana Karanović, Vucic Perovic, Boris lsakovic, Jasna Zalica, Alen Liveric, Pavle Cemerikic, Jelena Curuvija

production
This and That Productions
co-production
December, VHS d.o.o., Deblokada, PTD - Paul Thiltges Distributions, Oko film
co-funding
Film Center Serbia, Ministry of Culture Republic of Serbia, Film Fund Luxembourg, Eurimages, BAK Ministry of Culture Switzerland, Zurich Film Fund, Slovenian Film Centre, Film Centre of Montenegro, MEDIA Creative Europe, Film Fund Sarajevo

December
Vlado Bulajić
vlado@decemberfilm.si

Mirjana Karanović is a Serbian actress known for many acclaimed roles in the films of former Yugoslavia. She gained world fame with the role of „Mother“ in Emir Kusturica's film WHEN FATHER WAS AWAY ON BUSINESS (Golden Palm at Cannes). One of her more significant roles was the role of „Esma“ in the film GRBAVICA: THE LAND OF MY DREAMS by Jasmila Žbanić (Golden Bear Award at the Berlinale), for which she won numerous awards at festivals and an European Film Academy nomination in 2006. In 2008, she won „Osvajanje slobode“, an award given to women who are promoting human rights, the rule of law, democracy and tolerance in society through their professional engagement. In 2016, Mirjana Karanović made her directorial debut with the film A GOOD WIFE which premiered at Sundance following with 40 festivals around the world and winning many awards including the award for best film at the ARTE Kino festival.

December is a Slovenian production company focused on fiction and documentary films. Since the beginning in 2013, their wish has been to set up new standards of cooperation, to get out of the established ways of doing things and, together with filmmakers, to search for new possibilities of crossing borders, both mental and physical. Among 3 short films, 2 documentaries, 4 co-production features they produced 2 debut feature films Inventory by Darko Sinko (2021, SSIFF) and Bitch, a Derogatory Term for a Woman by Tijana Zinajić (2021, Sidney FF).