Short film My Mother and I by Emma Branderhorst Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere starting September 10
After a successful festival run—including a world premiere at Berlinale Generation 2023, a Golden Calf for Best Actress and awards at Ficbueu IFF and Kristiansand ICFF —Emma Branderhorst’s short film My Mother and I will now be released online for free. Starting September 10, the film will be available worldwide as a Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere.
Still: My Mother and I - Emma Branderhorst
My Mother and I is an intimate portrait of a mother-daughter relationship. The film explores themes of control, desire, and the quiet shifts that shape who we become. Seventeen-year-old Kees is taking her first steps toward adulthood and has decided to enroll in a language course in Marseille. She’s impulsive and eager for adventure. But the main reason for choosing somewhere so far from home is her mother, Lois. Their relationship feels suffocating—Kees wants to break free and make her own decisions. She just needs her mother to drive her to the south of France. During their "final" trip together, they try to enjoy the journey, but unspoken tensions and the looming goodbye hang heavily in the air.
Director Emma Branderhorst:
“This film is deeply personal and inspired by my own relationship with my mother. I think it’s really special that My Mother and I will now be accessible to everyone after its festival run. Vimeo selecting it as a Staff Pick feels like a wonderful recognition. I hope as many people as possible will discover the film—and maybe even see themselves in it.”
The film stars Celeste Holsheimer (King of the Skies, Pirates Down the Street) and Hannah van Lunteren (Narcosis, Captain Nova, Rampvlucht). The screenplay was written by Nena van Driel, based on an idea by Emma Branderhorst. The film was produced by BIND (Maaike Neve, Joram Willink, and Piet-Harm Sterk), known for projects such as The Judgement and My Extraordinary Summer with Tess.
Watch the film from September 10 via: My Mother and I – Vimeo Staff Pick Premiere
Emma Branderhorst (b. 1995) is a director from Amsterdam who translates social themes into intimate, female-driven stories. Her short films Under the Skin (2021), Spotless (2022 – winner of the Crystal Bear, Dutch Oscar entry), and My Mother and I (2024) all premiered at Berlinale. She is currently working on her debut feature film.
My Mother and I was made with support from the Netherlands Film Fund and the Amsterdam Fund for the Arts.