The Venice Film Festival’s Horizons sidebar will open with Mother, a new feature starring Noomi Rapace in the role of Mother Teresa. The first trailer has now been revealed.
Directed by Teona Strugar Mitevska, the film revisits a turning point in Teresa’s early mission. Set in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) in August 1948, the drama centers on seven crucial days when she awaited approval to leave her convent and establish a new order, confronting doubts that tested both her resolve and faith. Rapace is joined onscreen by Sylvia Hoeks and Nikola Ristanovski.
The production is a collaboration between Belgium and North Macedonia, backed by Entre Chien et Loup, Sisters and Brother Mitevski, Rainy Days Productions, Frau Film, SCCA/pro.ba, and Raging Films. International sales are being overseen by Kinology, while Adler Entertainment will handle distribution in Italy.
Mitevska, who previously examined the nun’s legacy in her documentary Teresa and I, shaped the film from interviews with some of the last surviving sisters who knew her. The director emphasizes a portrait of Teresa not as a conventional saint, but as an ambitious leader with organizational drive — “more like the head of a corporation than a martyr,” in her words.
The film also recognizes controversial elements of Teresa’s legacy, such as her position on abortion, while choosing to spotlight her personal struggles before she became a global icon.
The screenplay was written by Goce Smilevski, Elma Tataragić, and Mitevska herself. Technical crew includes Virginie Saint Martin (cinematography), Per K. Kirkegaard (editing), and Vuk Mitevski (production design). The score was composed by Magali Gruselle and Flemming Nordkrog, with sound crafted by Peter Albrechtsen and Kristoffer Salting.
Watch trailer here
