Home Sewn

I had originally intended for this film to focus solely on my mother’s swear word embroidery. I eventually moved towards my mother’s struggle to enjoy where she lives and how she makes it more welcoming, and I believe this was the right choice. I have found that this direction makes the film seem much more personal, and it truly reflects who my mother is, rather than the detached depiction of her with just the swear word embroidery.
The film features many of my mother’s embroidery pieces, as well as images of her process, the thread itself, and the record player that essentially guides both the film’s soundtrack and its images. I was really drawn to working with embroidery because of its aesthetic appeal. The colours and textures of the thread, and even the fabric it is sewn on, come through extremely well in photo and video. Combining the thread with stop motion just really made it come alive.
While this film is specifically about my mother, anyone will be able to appreciate the little quirks that make a mother a mother. The film will resonate with anyone who feels lost in where they are, where they are coming from, and where they are going. It embraces both the good and bad of place, and how emphasizing the good can ultimately overshadow the bad. The film explores the feeling of wanting more, but finding enough in what you have. By accepting what we cannot change and working with what we can, we can find our home wherever we feel welcome, where we belong, and where we make it our own.