Mama: The Distance Between Us

Today on Face2Face David Peck is joined by filmmaker Or Sinai to talk about Mama, her quietly devastating portrait of migration, motherhood, family and the difficult choices we make in the name of love. The film follows Mila, an immigrant worker who returns home after years abroad and discovers that providing for a family is not the same as remaining part of it. Or and I talk about distance, responsibility, invisible labour, long-term relationships, the complexity of care, and the lives we sometimes fail to notice around us. At its heart, Mama is also about presence and what it takes to truly be there for one another.Mama is Or Sinai’s quietly devastating portrait of motherhood, migration and the hidden costs of economic sacrifice. Evgenia Dodina stars as Mila, a Polish housekeeper working in Israel who sends money home to support her family, only to discover that the longer she is away, the more her place within that family seems to disappear.Resisting melodrama, Sinai builds the film through intimate details, silences and small moments of rupture, allowing Mila’s loneliness, pride and resilience to emerge gradually. Anchored by Dodina’s beautifully nuanced performance, Mama explores maternal labour, belonging, betrayal and the painful distinction between providing for the people we love and being present in their lives.Or Sinai is an Israeli filmmaker and screenwriter whose work is rooted in intimate, character-driven storytelling. Her film Mama explores migration, motherhood, family, distance and the emotional cost of long-term separation through the story of a woman returning home after years of working abroad. Sinai’s filmmaking is marked by a restrained, observational style and a strong interest in the complexity of relationships, care and the lives that often remain unseen. With Mama, she brings a deeply human perspective to questions of belonging, responsibility and what it means to remain present in the lives of the people we love.David Peck is a writer, speaker, and award-winning podcaster who works at the intersection of storytelling, social change, and meaningful dialogue. As the host of Face2Face and former host of Toronto Threads on 640 AM, he has published over 800 in-depth interviews with some of the world’s most compelling thinkers, artists and storytellers, including Viggo Mortensen, Sarah Polley, Raoul Peck, Werner Herzog, Chris Hadfield, David Cronenberg, Jason Issacs, Gillian Anderson and Wade Davis. With a background in philosophy and international development, David brings a thoughtful, globally aware perspective to every conversation.He’s a published author and experienced keynote speaker, known for creating spaces where complexity is welcomed and ideas come alive. Whether moderating panels, hosting live events, or speaking on issues ranging from ethics to media, David’s work is grounded in a deep curiosity about people. At heart, he simply loves good conversation and believes it’s one of the best ways we grow, connect, and make sense of the world.For more information about David Peck’s podcasting, writing and public speaking please visit his site here.F2F Music and Image Copyright: David Peck and Face2Face. Used with permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.