My Dear Mother director says series depicts violence realistically

Director Doris Kartau says the creators of the award-winning drama series My Dear Mother aimed to portray its difficult subject matter as realistically as possible. She spoke to ERR’s Ringvaade television programme.

The series began airing on ETV on Thursdays this week. It follows Alina, a young woman whose mother is found murdered on a beach. Investigators’ main suspect is Alina, who has been known to police since childhood as a drug addict and prostitute. The story also presents her as a victim whose childhood was taken from her and who was forced into experiences no child should face.

Actor Indrek Ojari, who plays a former police officer, said he was drawn to the script’s concentrated run of events, conflicts and drama. He described reading it almost like a novel, unable to put it down before reaching the final page. He said the prospect of overcoming obstacles and moving towards a victory helped carry him through the story.

Ojari said he had encountered the harsh realities facing children in difficult circumstances while working at a children’s night shelter in central Tallinn more than 20 years ago. He described the environment as stressful and said people had to remain alert to danger.

Kartau said the series draws on several real-life stories. The producers, crew and actors agreed to portray events as honestly as possible, including violence against women. She said the camera was positioned to show violence from the victim’s perspective, helping viewers understand what Alina had lived through and why she made certain choices.

At the Estonian Film and Television Awards ceremony in the spring, My Dear Mother won five prizes, more than any other television production. Kartau was named best television director and Ojari best actor in a series. Kartau said messages from women who recognised experiences from their own lives had affected her most. She also recalled hearing from a former prosecutor, despite the series’ critical portrayal of the prosecutor’s office.