Poor, an alcoholic and stubborn as hell, Martina raised her twin daughters—one born blind and the other with cerebral palsy—to grab what life offers, vices and all. While Katerina moved away and lives independently, Jana is immobile and relies on her brash mother for care. Longing for more freedom, Jana would like to move into a supported-living centre and also have her first sexual experience. Martina happily helps her daughter write a personal ad for a sex surrogate, but is deeply uncomfortable with the idea of living apart. As a single mother without state support, Martina has always made her own choices, however reckless; although Jana inherited her mother’s free spirit, neither can completely separate from the other. Filmmaker Dagmar Smržová takes an unsentimental approach to the poverty and undiagnosed issues that contribute to this unique family’s struggles. Instead, she allows each woman to inhabit her own space with respect and self-determination. Myrocia Watamaniuk
International Spectrum program supported by
The Consulate General of the Czech Republic in Toronto supports Czech Republic films at Hot Docs
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