Mother, starring acclaimed actor Noomi Rapace in the role of a young Mother Teresa, is all set to have its world premiere as the opening film of the Orizzonti Competition at the Venice International Film Festival on August 27.

Directed by North Macedonian director Teona Strugar Mitevska and described as a “deeply human drama”, Mother is a fictional account that follows seven days in Mother Teresa’s life when she decided to leave her convent in Calcutta to establish her own religious order.

Marking the collaboration of a host of countries — Macedonia, Belgium, India — Mother was shot partly in Calcutta and made with the support of the India Cine Hub, government of India and the government of West Bengal.

Representing Team Mother on the Venice red carpet, along with its global cast and crew, will be Shaunak Sur and Prateek Bagi of Raging Films, who co-produced the film, as well as actor Akshay Kapoor, who plays the pivotal role of Dr Kumar.

When asked what the emotions were like as Mother gears up for its world premiere at Venice, both Shaunak and Prateek told t2 that “gratitude” was the first feeling that came to their minds. “It is an honour to be able to share the film on a platform as prestigious as Venice. Mother is the culmination of years of work, love and collective effort.” They, however, admitted that there was an element of nervousness, given that this will be “the first time the film will meet its audience”. But above all, for both, there is a sense of excitement. “Everyone who worked on this film carried it in their hearts, and to finally see it come alive in front of the world
feels incredibly special.”

For Akshay Kapoor, the emotions are similar. “To have a film premiere at such a prestigious film festival, and that too my first-ever English language film with an entirely European cast and crew... I don’t even know what to expect... there is a plethora of emotions.” Playing Dr Kumar will remain an important part of Akshay’s filmography, and not because of how prestigious a project Mother is. “Dr Kumar is not just another Indian character in the film. He is a well-respected, learned person. Kumar and his wife are always helpful towards Mother. He is the voice of scientific reasoning as opposed to Mother’s religious logic, but he is never disrespectful towards her or her beliefs,” Kapoor told t2.

MOTHER AND THE CITY

For Shaunak and Prateek, working in Calcutta on the film came with its share of challenges as well as creative highs. “One of the biggest challenges came even before we began. In recent years, international productions have struggled to secure permission to film in India and there was a very real concern among our European producers that Mother might face the same obstacles. For us, receiving that permission was a small but significant achievement. It felt even more meaningful that we were allowed to depict a period rooted in the aftermath of the Bengal famine — a time of scarcity and struggle.”

Financial impediments were a factor for the producers, given that Mother is an independent film. “We had to constantly find ways to ensure that budgetary constraints didn’t lead to creative compromises. India Cine Hub was of tremendous support, guiding us through the filming incentives available in India and helping us secure them. That crucial backing meant we could avoid compromises and focus fully on the creative demands of the film.” The duo also credit their network of SRFTI (Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute) contemporaries and juniors for their support in ensuring the smooth shoot of Mother in the city.

Shooting in Calcutta, the city that Mother Teresa made her home for decades, took place in various landmarks like Howrah Bridge, Burrabazar, Loreto Convent, Bishop’s College, Kumartuli, Kumartuli railway crossing and various streets across north and south Calcutta. “The city carries a texture, history and soul that cannot be replicated, and many of these places still hold the spirit of the era we were trying to capture,” said Shaunak and Prateek.

One of the most challenging sequences was at a railway crossing where the team hired a train with a vintage-looking engine and five coaches. “Coordinating this was a massive undertaking — with crew members stationed inside the engine room to manage the train’s movements for every take, while hundreds of background actors interacted with it in real time. To have that level of control over a running train, and to pull off such a complex scene safely and authentically, was a truly exhilarating experience.” On certain days, Mother had anywhere between 800 to 1,000 people on set, with crew members joining in from both Europe and India.

Swedish actress Rapace — who has featured in big-ticket Hollywood parts, the most prominent among them being the central role of Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo franchise — has spoken in interviews about playing the titular character, focusing on Mother Teresa’s “complexity”. The duo at Raging Films are all praises for the actress, who they describe as “deeply professional and thorough in her work”.

For Akshay, sharing screen space with Rapace was definitely a high, but he is also grateful for the rich experience of being in the film itself. “I can literally write a thesis on my entire experience of working on this set. It made me not just grow as an actor but also made me understand how we in India can actually make shooting the most fun job that it can be.”

THE JOURNEY AHEAD

Besides attending their big moment on the red carpet, Shaunak and Prateek are looking forward to present Raging Films’s upcoming slate at the Venice Film Market. These include three fiction features and two feature documentaries — with projects in Bengali, Tamil, Manipuri and Assamese. “We are also thrilled to see Anuparna Roy’s Songs of Forgotten Trees representing India in the Orizzonti competition screening alongside Mother.”

So what is the way forward for Mother? The team is hopeful that the film’s Indian premiere will take place at the Kolkata International Film Festival later this year. “The film truly belongs to the people of Calcutta, so many people from the city have contributed to this film, and it would mean a lot for them to experience it on the big screen,” they signed off.