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Everyone’s relationship with their mother is uniquely different, inexplicably complicated, and undeniably human. Shortly after much of the world celebrated Mother’s Day, these films from Fastnet Film Festival 2026 aptly reflected on and celebrated the maternal figures in our lives.
Choice
Marko Crnogorski | International | North Macedonia
Choice takes us on a turbulent journey down the halls of an inhospitable hospital where Ana, a single mother, navigates an evolving legal landscape that obstructs her scheduled abortion. Through a series of masterfully orchestrated one-shots, this 17-minute short immerses the audience in a tragic tale of a woman driven to desperation by a system that fails her.
The film is quick to reveal the staggering incompetence of its authority figures, further exposing just how broken the healthcare system is. With her toddler in hand, Ana is passed around from doctor to doctor, each one more patronizing and apathetic than the last. Every interaction presents larger administrative hurdles she must jump to get the care she needs.
Even as new characters and settings are introduced, the handheld camera rightfully stays focused on Ana, giving her story ample space. Sara Sandeva's powerhouse performance brings a rawness and humanity to Ana that, combined with Ana's bitter resolve, makes for an irresistibly captivating character.
Choice is an ambitious film to say the least. It takes a relevant and all-too-familiar subject and presents it in a way that is not only creatively and technically challenging, but also equally provocative and poignant. It makes clear that Choice is more than a cautionary tale—it's a terrifying reality for some, and a looming future for many others.
COGAR
Elaine Marie Kennedy | Language | Ireland
This Irish language family drama follows Clodagh, who has returned home for her stepdad's funeral, on her journey to discover who her real father is. The story unfolds when rumors circulate about her mother's relationship with the local pastor. As the town's whispers (cogar) grow in intensity, Clodagh becomes more determined to find the truth.
Our heroine's harbored bitterness toward the town alienates her from familiar faces. Clodagh's mother refuses to reveal her father's name to protect her, driving a deeper wedge between the two. The conflict comes to a head at her stepfather’s burial, where Clodagh comes to some life-changing realizations. The fallout completely alters her relationship with and perception of her mother.
COGAR's thoughtful world-building and character development shape Clodagh's story into a living, breathing reality. The film's framework sets up an ideal emotional landscape for the events to snowball into a climactic avalanche.
COGAR also tactfully discusses pressing topics of gender inequality, misogynist orthodoxy, and sexual assault. Admirably, its social commentary is not at all ham-fisted: it's sincere, subtle, and maintains a quiet reverence for the brave souls the film is dedicated to.
Little Soldier
Roxan Karami | International | Iran
Hardly a word is uttered throughout the entirety of Little Soldier—but the silence speaks volumes. Fleeing from ISIS, a mother and her infant son join others in hiding during a deadly attack; they must stay quiet should they be heard by the advancing fighters. But when the mother fails to soothe her wailing child, she comes to an impossible decision.
Little Soldier carries a heavy burden in telling this story: it tasks itself with recreating the horror and desperation of a people devastated by war. The situation's gravity is certainly felt—explosions and gunfire erupt from all directions—but its realism is chiefly crafted by the intense, emotional performances of the ensemble.
The only time we're given with these characters are the brief, tense moments we share with them in the shelter. Due to its brevity and disorientation, the film does feel like it could belong to a larger whole—but remains elegant and effective nonetheless.
Moreover, constrained by its real-time pacing and singular setting, the deceiving simplicity of Little Soldier's structure makes for an impactful interpretation of an incredibly complicated subject. A particularly harrowing scene at the end reminds us of the film's unflinching realism, and dedication to truth. In its own symbolic act of defiance, Little Soldier refuses to soften or censor this tale of courage.
Pas Vraiment Ordinaire (Not Really Ordinary)
Gil Henry | International | USA
Pas Vraiment Ordinaire begins on the cusp of two worlds: the idealized imagination and the "ordinary" harshness of reality. In the imagined world, a mother and daughter share a playful picnic, framed in a dreamy 4:3 ratio with swirly bokeh. It's whimsical and seemingly innocent, but the illusion is broken when we’re forced back into the real world's narrow dimensions and muted palette.
This conceptual rift is established early on, foreshadowing a less-than-idyllic truth. The mother, Renée, is struggling with her mental health, and her family must get her professional help—no matter how painful it may be.
While Renée is initially introduced as the film's protagonist, we soon shift our focus to her son Adrien, who is reluctant to enter her imaginary world. Adrien takes on multiple responsibilities as he navigates his difficult home life: he becomes a protective figure for his little sister, whom he shields from his mother’s illness, and a liaison between his parents, convincing his mother to be hospitalized per his father's insistence.
Adrien (Guy Heilweil) is one of the film's stronger performances. His acting is on par with his older costars, and he holds himself with a reserved maturity that's reflected well in his character. That said, I would've liked to see more from Renée's perspective and the dreamlike reality she builds for herself. It's visually represented in the opening of the film, but never returned to, limiting how the audience connects and empathizes with Renée.
As touching as Pas Vraiment Ordinaire is, I felt its message would be stronger had it been more subtly communicated. Instead, it's spoon-fed to Adrien through some good old fatherly advice: “Sometimes we have to do uncomfortable things to help the people we love.” It's a heartfelt lesson, and an appropriate one, but one that the audience—and especially Adrien—might have deduced on their own.
Scoitheadh (Separation)
Aoise Tutty Jackson | Irish | Ireland
Scoitheadh is a fearless, poetic portrayal of motherhood. It follows the weaning journey of Siobhán and her newborn daughter, and through a combination of Irish prose and abstract performance art, the film provides a visceral and refreshingly raw depiction of the maternal experience.
As the title suggests, Scoitheadh examines the threshold that's crossed as a child is "separated" from the mother, a theme set against the larger contextual backdrop of this particular family's move away from their secluded rural lifestyle. The film also crafts a more conceptual separation between observational vignettes of Siobhán's daily life, and an artistic portrayal of her bond with her daughter. Metaphorical figures and Irish folklore are woven into this evocative tapestry; Siobhán leads an interpretive dance across Mother Nature's sweeping canvas.
Scoitheadh recognizes the deeply personal, emotional reality of motherhood, and uses its expressive freedom to visualize something so innately human it feels instinctual, even primitive.
This documentary remains faithful to its medium's pursuit of truth. Moreover, it takes daring creative risks to seek its own definition of truth—risks that I believe pay off. Scoitheadh pushes traditional boundaries of nonfiction media to deliver a transformative, uninhibited, genuine work of art.
