Salve
Maria | 2024 | 1h 51m
Genre:
Psychological Horror/Psychological Thriller/Drama/Horror/Thriller | Country:
Spain
Director:
Mar Coll | Writers: Mar Coll, Valentina Viso, Katixa Agirre
Cast:
Laura Weissmahr, Oriol Pla, Giannina Fruttero
IMDB:
6.2
My
Rate: 7/10
Maria, a new mother and writer, experiences a mental shock after the birth of her child, which grows stronger when she hears news about a mother who drowned her two babies—making her start questioning the struggles faced by mothers, including herself.
Warning:
Nudity scenes, alcohol, and harsh languageSynopsis:
Maria,
a writer who has just become a mother, must face the busyness and heavy
pressure of taking care of her baby. Even though she is not truly alone because
she lives with Nico, her boyfriend, Maria still feels burdened. Nico rarely
really takes part in taking care of their child, making Maria slowly face
everything on her own.
As a
talented writer, Maria also feels as if she is being forced to leave her career
behind in order to take care of her child. Meanwhile, Nico keeps avoiding
helping with various reasons—piling work, the difficulty of asking for leave,
and many excuses that sound increasingly unconvincing. The pressure Maria feels
becomes heavier when she reads news about a mother who drowned her twin babies
in a bathtub. Strangely, that news actually makes Maria feel that the feelings
she experiences might not be completely wrong or completely alone.
Curiosity
pushes Maria to do deep research about the case. She reads various news
articles, gathers information, and begins writing it into a story. But the
deeper she digs, the wilder her imagination becomes—even imagining various
possible accidents that could happen to her own baby.
In
order to find answers to the anxiety that keeps haunting her, Maria eventually
entrusts her child to Anna and secretly goes to meet the woman in the news
without Nico knowing. A step that might become Maria’s last way to understand
her own feelings—or perhaps to release the burden she has been holding in.
Will
Maria find answers to the anxiety that haunts her?
Review:
Salve
Maria, a film adapted from the novel Amek ez dute by Basque writer
Katixa Agirre, portrays the inner struggle experienced by a mother after the
birth of her child. Becoming a mother is not an easy matter. The presence of a
child often brings major changes in life, especially for a woman who without
realizing it must carry so many responsibilities—taking care of, guarding, and
nurturing her child. When attention and help from people around her are absent,
that burden can slowly turn into heavy mental pressure.
This
topic feels close to everyday life. Through Salve Maria, the film seems
to want to raise something that has rarely been openly talked about: feelings
of sadness, exhaustion, and losing oneself that are often hidden behind the
role of a mother.
The
film opens with a scene of Maria looking messy while holding her baby who keeps
crying. Her appearance becomes an indication that she is starting to neglect
herself. The partner’s lack of sensitivity is also shown through Nico who
rarely helps unless asked. Even the broken window in the house seems to become
a symbol of the gap between Maria’s interests and Nico’s—small neglect that
keeps repeating.
The
frustration that continues to pile up brings Maria to a stronger inner
conflict. The tension increases when news about a mother who killed her twin
children appears on television. Without realizing it, an emotional connection
emerges that makes Maria start questioning many things about the life of a
mother.
The
presence of Anna, a loyal fan of her book, as well as the award Maria receives
in the world of writing, makes her realize again the talent that slowly feels
distant after the birth of her child. A career that seems to have to be set
aside and the value of herself that feels decreasing make the pressure she
feels grow deeper.
The
resolution of the story is done quite well. Maria’s surrender to her inner
struggle brings a result that feels satisfying, as if giving a glimpse of
happiness that she deserves after a long emotional journey.
The
strength of this film lies in the way the story is presented in a structured
and systematic way. The audience can easily follow the emotional changes of the
main character. The division of the story using several titles like chapters in
a book also becomes a clever way to show the stages of Maria’s feelings.
Laura
Weissmahr’s acting as Maria feels very natural and strong. She is able to show
the anxiety, exhaustion, and inner fracture of her character convincingly. It
is not surprising that her performance in this film managed to win various
awards.
From
a technical side, the camera movement, detailed shots, transitions, and color
composition feel well arranged. The choice of music and soundtrack is also able
to support the emotions in each scene without feeling excessive. The story idea
is presented with the right portion so Maria’s inner conflict remains the main
focus.
Even
so, there is a slight feeling left hanging with the character Anna. This
character can be seen as a representation of Maria’s past success—a fan who
greatly admires her work. However, the mysterious aura shown through her gaze
and gestures seems to promise something bigger. Unfortunately, that potential
is not fully explored in the story.
In
the end, Salve Maria leaves quite a deep impression. This film not only
talks about the difficulty of becoming a mother, but also about how a woman
tries to maintain herself in the middle of major changes in her life. A
reminder that behind all the roles she carries, a mother is still a human who
needs space to remain herself.
Memorable Scene:
One
of the most memorable scenes in Salve Maria happens when Maria is in
Nico’s embrace and whispers the feeling she has been hiding all this time: that
she wants her child to die. The confession feels very shocking, but not without
reason. Since the birth of her child, Maria has experienced a very heavy
emotional shock. She feels like she is slowly losing herself—her life’s
purpose, even her value as a human being.
At
first glance, this scene might feel difficult to accept. How could a mother who
has carried a child for nine months allow such thoughts to appear? But reality
is not always as simple as the ideal image of maternal instinct. Conditions
like baby blues often trap a mother in extreme emotional changes. Not because
she truly wants to harm her child, but because hormonal changes, suddenly
shifting routines, and the burden that feels carried alone can slowly erode her
mind—especially when no one truly understands or accompanies her, even the
closest person.
Memorable Dialogue:
“I’m tired of not being heard.”
Ending:
Happy
Ending
Recommendation:
Worth
to Watch
(Aluna
Uwie)
 – When a Mother Slowly Loses Herself){kind=link}
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