Sundance 2024

The Mother of All Lies explores a unique form of storytelling by having a family recreate their fractured past through miniature models of their home and memories of the 1981 Casablanca Bread Riots. In this experimental documentary, director Asmae El Moudir pieces together her family's experiences, utilizing art as a method of family therapy, a concept thematically similar to the Oscar-nominated Four Daughters.

The film's approach to its visual storytelling is intriguing, compensating for the absence of photographs from the period, instead using meticulously crafted miniatures to bring the past to life. By using these models, The Mother of All Lies gives viewers a tangible way to engage with events that might otherwise have remained elusive. The models serve as a bridge between memory and present, allowing the family—and the audience—to reconstruct the chaotic events surrounding the Bread Riots and their personal turmoil in a way that feels almost therapeutic. This creative decision adds a layer of abstraction, yet it helps underscore the emotional weight the family carries as they recount and reconstruct the past.

However, despite the inventive technique, I found myself somewhat distant from the narrative. While the miniature reconstructions offer a visual substitute for missing archival materials, the story's emotional core didn't fully resonate with me. The Bread Riots and the family's internal dynamics are compelling subjects, but the film's experimental structure occasionally feels like a barrier to deeper engagement with the characters. While the models are fascinating, I sometimes felt more interested in the storytelling method than the story itself.

Compared to Four Daughters, which also dealt with familial trauma and reconciliation through creative expression, TheMother of All Lies falls short in emotional impact. The artful approach is admirable, but without a stronger connection to the family's struggles and revelations, it ultimately left me more impressed by its technique than invested in its narrative. Overall, The Mother of All Lies presents an experimental approach to visually represent lost histories and fractured memories, but its emotional depth might not captivate all viewers.

— 3 / 5 ⭐