Ma Mere

Opens Friday, January 24, 2025

Honoré’s scandalous, notorious second feature (“uncommercial in the extreme,” sniffed Variety) returns in a new, 20th anniversary restoration. Somewhere in the Canary Islands, promiscuous mother Hélène (the ever-impressive Isabelle Huppert), cool and in charge, and her pious Catholic teenaged son Pierre (Louis Garrel, fresh off The Dreamers), just back from boarding school, discuss his father’s infidelity. But when the family patriarch dies in a car crash, Hélène launches into a wild series of parties, gradually involving her son in her drugging, drinking and sex-fueled nights out.

“Fascinating and erotic—if also difficult and disturbing—Honoré’s ambitious adaptation of Georges Bataille’s novel prevails because of the frank treatment of its serious subject matter.” – Out Magazine’

• Country France
• Language French and Spanish with English subtitles
• Year 2004
• Running Time 110 minutes
• Format 4K Restoration
• Distributor KimStim
• Director Christophe Honoré
• Cast Isabelle Huppert, Louis Garrel, Emma de Caunes, Joana Preiss, Jean-Baptiste Montagut
• Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.