Private Project

God's Beloved Family

Born into a deeply religious family, a Sikh mother in Portugal dedicates her life to raising her children within the boundaries of faith. Her love is vast and multi-layered; at once tender and unconditional, yet also controlling, fearful and demanding. Through the intimate moments and religious practices the film examines her understanding of motherhood and love.

  • Diana Hovhannisyan
    Director
  • Diana Hovhannisyan
    Writer
  • DocNomadsPlus
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 9 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 25, 2026
  • Country of Origin:
    Belgium, Lithuania, Portugal
  • Country of Filming:
    Portugal
  • Language:
    English, Panjabi
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - DocNomadsPlus
Director Biography - Diana Hovhannisyan

Diana was born and raised in Armenia, where early experiences shaped a strong interest in culture, identity, and community life. She hold a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology, which informed her curiosity about human relationships, traditions, and the ways people navigate belonging in changing social and cultural environments.
Currently, she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Documentary Filmmaking through the DocNomads+ joint program. She approaches filmmaking as both an observational and participatory practice, seeking to create sensitive and nuanced portrayals of lived experience.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I am drawn to the distance from which the director and the film’s characters relate to one another. At the same time, I am concerned with the possibility of narrowing that distance within this film, and thus bringing forward universal human relationships against the background of cultural and everyday differences.
I am particularly attentive to the manifestations of maternal love—its multi-layered and powerful nature, its ability to be both understandable and ambiguous, uncertain and at the same time deeply defined.