FILM: In "Hello Mother", queer identity and Armenian tradition collide | Film of the Week

Parev Mama (Hello Mother) by director Natalie Shirinian follows a first-generation Armenian-American LGBTQ+ woman living in Los Angeles. Late one night, she finds herself confronted by her traditional mother after going out with her girlfriend. The encounter forces her to embark on a difficult journey: struggling to free herself from the constraints of tradition, while still affirming her cultural identity.

Short but powerful and universally relatable, Parev Mama explores the dilema of a 30-something caught between family expectations — who see marriage and a husband as her ultimate goal — and living as a gay woman.

Set against the backdrop of the Californian sky, and infused with the deep sound of the duduk, or the traditional Armenian flute, the film is an immersive exploration of intergenerational migrant struggles, and the tension between individual and cultural identity.

Watch on Eventive.