"Mother" is a modern retelling of the classic fairytale "Hansel and Gretel." Despite its runtime, "Mother" had been one of my most time-consuming projects.
I wanted to reflect the dark undertones of the children's story with the lighting. Inspired by Guillermo del Toro's use of shadows in his films; I thought creating harsher shadows would help enhance the characters' emotions. Having studied art history, Caravaggio's dramatic use of light also became a source of inspiration in my pre-production process. Using that contrast between warmth and darkness to depict the dire situation Gabriella and Henry have found themselves in; while also capturing Mother's chilling maternal nature.
