HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL 2024 REVIEW! His Mother is actress Maia Scalia’s writing and directing debut. The only actor on screen throughout the nearly 14-minute runtime is Bethany Anne Lind. Lind portrays the mother of the title, Julie. She’s driving around town, frantically calling the police, her husband (D.W. Moffett), and her son Harrison (Ben Irving). Why? Because Harrison left a disturbing video indicating he might do something horrible. Is Julie just overreacting to her college child’s venting, or is something sinister on the horizon?
His Mother is a heartbreaking affair that is well worth the ride. Lind is so achingly desperate and sincere that she transcends acting. As the only person on screen (several characters’ voices are heard), she delivers on all fronts. Her not paying attention to traffic patterns is a frazzled mistake, not poor driving. Lind is perfect here, and the film would not have been nearly as good without her.

“…Harrison left a disturbing video indicating he might do something horrible.”
A strong sense of confidence marks Scalia’s direction. The camerawork inside the car effectively captures Julie’s desperate quest for answers. The scene where the vehicle stops in the middle of an intersection, almost causing an accident, feels raw and intense, adding to the emotional depth of the story.
His Mother is about as perfect as short dramas get. It’s harrowing, impactful, and sincere. Lind perfectly captures the extreme emotions of the material. Scalia has a bright future ahead as a filmmaker, and Lind will get bigger (though maybe not better) roles based on how good she is here.
His Mother screened at the 2024 Hollyshort Film Festival.