Directed by Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson, from the thick snow of the Belarusian forest to the heat of the reeds in the French Camargue, comes the story of a young Orthodox nun; her turbulent past, and fragile future.
Any film fan will have a hard time diving into Mother Vera without immediately thinking of Pawel Pawlikowski and Lukasz Zal’s Cold War and Ida, because Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson create an aesthetic that mirrors their quality. It’s atmospheric from the get-go and that visual excellence stays consistent all throughout the documentary. To use that type of style within a non-fiction world is a bold choice from these filmmakers and one that undoubtedly pays off.
That outstanding aesthetic elevates everything that Mother Vera has to offer. It has a fantastic texture and the black and white adds a wonderful sharpness. Added to its pensive and slow movement, it reminds of recent Sheffield DocFest winner At the Door of the House Who Will Come Knocking. However, that might be a slightly better example of using that incredibly quiet, gradual style as it manages to evoke emotion a little easier.
It’s compelling viewing and our titular Mother Vera has plenty of story to offer, but it doesn’t always feel like it’s being given the space to bloom. We’re getting snippets of what is clearly a complex and fascinating journey, so it’s leaving us wanting more but not in the best of ways. It’s opening up those emotional connections and depths, but it’s not reaching their potential, leaving it unable to truly match the nuance of the direction.
Especially as it’s dipping into a number of different topics from religion to redemption to renewal. Added to the scenes of Vera’s family have a surprising sweetness to them which is a great addition to the atmosphere. There’s plenty there to explore so while there is a definite advantage to taking that slow, entirely unobtrusive and observational style, it’s missing out on something deeper.
Mother Vera is possibly one of the most aesthetically pleasing documentaries that you’ll ever watch. The texture and atmosphere that it creates are excellent and make for compelling viewing before you even get to Vera’s story, which has plenty to add. However, the incredibly slow pacing and minimal detail or dialogue hold the documentary back. Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson had a superb idea and made some wonderful choices, but the film had a bigger potential, and had the story been given a bigger space to develop, it might have reached that.
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