Earth Mama
Description
A single mother in Oakland navigates the foster care system while making a living at a family portrait studio in this intimate coming-of-age story. Based on lived experiences from SFFILM-supported writer-director Savanah Leaf, the film follows Gia (portrayed by local musician Tia Nomore) who warily sizes up her surroundings and would-be allies, as she prepares for another child. Lush cinematography, assured direction, and humorous performances infuse this film with a shimmering authenticity rarely seen in debuts. In this drama made predominantly with a Bay Area crew, preconceptions of women with children in foster care are carefully examined and discarded, as Leaf presents a tender, textured, and surprisingly funny portrayal of motherhood.
Biographies
A former volleyball player, who competed in the 2012 Olympics, British Filmmaker Savanah Leaf directed music videos for Gary Clark Jr.’s “This Land,” for which she received a Grammy nomination, and Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On.” Her short film, The Heart Still Hums (2020), won Best Short Documentary awards at the Blackstar, Nashville, and Palm Springs International Film Festivals. She makes her feature debut with Earth Mama, the recipient of an SFFILM Rainin Grant.