MAMA ILLEGAL (Ed Moschitz, Austria). 102 minutes. Subtitled. Rating: NNN
Moldavia’s biggest export seems to be its women. At least that’s what you might surmise from this film that observes three mothers who abandon their families for years at a time to work illegally abroad as cleaning ladies. They’re among many who work to build a better future yet seem oblivious to the emotional damage they cause their families.
This structureless and often meandering film is as free-floating as its subjects, coming in and out of their lives and leaving them for long stretches. It doesn’t take a hard stance, allowing the audience to form its own conclusions. But it doesn’t connect emotionally, at least not in the way these tragic stories deserve.
Apr 28, 6:30 pm, Cumberland 2 Apr 29, 1:15 pm, ROM Theatre.
