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Synopsis I Am My Mother's Daughter is a documentary film that explores the unique bond between mothers and daughters and the profound impact this relationship has on a woman's self-image. Shot on 16 mm film, the program profiles four mother daughter pairs from various walks of life and takes an in-depth look at the dynamics of their relationships. Among the women profiled are:
A story of letting go For most of Sarah's 24 years, she and her mother, Marlene, have been inseparable. At nine months old, when Sarah was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, Marlene was told that her daughter would probably be mentally retarded and should be put in a home. But Marlene suspected correctly that, to the contrary, Sarah was a girl of above average intelligence who's disability was strictly of a physical nature. Throughout her young life Sarah's mother had served as her physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist and full-time companion, becoming far more involved in her daughter's life than most mothers ever do. When Sarah went off to college, both she and Marlene had to learn the art of letting go, and Sarah had to learn independence.
A story of finding oneself and each other At age 17, Valerie went from being the apple of her family's eye to an embarrassment when she became pregnant out of wedlock. Her parents forced her to give the baby up against her will and she struggled from then on with low self-image, feeling as though she had let everyone in her life down. She went on to have five boys with the same father, whom she did marry shortly thereafter. Nineteen years later, Valerie found her daughter, Joanne, happy and well-adjusted, living with her adopted mom, Marlene. The reunion that ensued not only brought mother and daughter together again, it brought two families together and in doing so, helped Val come to the understanding that she was a whole, healthy person -- and that she had been all along.
A story of healing When Ayla was 6 years old, her mother, Gwynn, suffered a nervous breakdown and checked herself into a mental institution, leaving Ayla to feel abandoned and rejected. When Gwynn returned home, things were not much better. She had little or no self-esteem and resented her daughter's presence. Over the years, Gwynn and Ayla were at odds much of the time, with Ayla turning to drugs and boys as a way to fulfill her mother's negative expectations of her. Many years later when Ayla was struggling with raising her own daughter, she realized that she was repeating the pattern of dysfunction she had inherited from her mother and sought help. After much therapy, Ayla and Gwynn have healed their relationship to become an inspiration to mothers and daughters everywhere.
A story of a healthy mother/daughter relationship Tatiana is a typical 14 year old girl growing up in the suburbs of New York. Her mother, Bridget and she have a healthy relationship filled with mutual respect, humor, and the basic disagreements that accompany living with a teenager on a daily basis. Bridget is a counselor at an adolescent treatment center, where the kids think of her as their "Mom". Tatiana watches her mother work with great admiration and feels fortunate to have been blessed with such a wonderful role model. Acting as a thread that ties the stories together are brief conversations with celebrities and their mothers or daughters, including: Actress
Amy Brenneman and her mother, Judge Fredrica Brenneman
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