Staff Writer
The constant symbolism that runs throughout “Earth Mama,” the feature film debut of filmmaker Savannah Leaf, was inspired by her thoughts on “how Black women are kind of like the center of our universe and the power held within that.”
According to Leaf, she had been considering “a lot about ancestry and the trauma that one can take on through their lineage.” She leaned into the tension between highlighting the struggle to heal generational scars and acknowledging the beauty and influence of one’s ancestry.
As it reveals the struggles faced by Gia, a young, unmarried, Black mother who is trying to reclaim custody, the primary character of “Earth Mama” envelops its audience in this provocative symbolic through-line.
Umbilical cords and the unique bond between a mother and her kid are prominent themes in the movie, according to the Grammy-nominated director and former Olympian. She also makes use of the thick trees that surround the Northern California setting of the movie to emphasize the connection that underground roots can create.
When she added, “[I was] thinking about roots and trees and how the Bay Area is surrounded by trees that have been around for so many generations and hold so much weight,” she was reflecting on the relationship between the two. “Under the ground, they actually communicate through their roots and they survive as groups and as a community.
The A24 movie is an expanded version of Leaf’s short documentary featuring actor Taylor Russell, well known for his work in “Bones and All” with Timothée Chalamet. “The Heart Still Hums,” a brief documentary by Russell and Leaf, follows five mothers as they struggle to care for their kids while also dealing with homelessness, drug addiction, and neglectful families.
Since she was navigating the foster care system, she “didn’t want to intrude on anybody’s personal life,” so she decided to continue the story through a fictional narrative.
