Motherboard – London Film Festival 2024 – Film Review
Every moment of our lives may now be documented via our smartphones but with countless photos and videos of cherished memories stored on our devices it may be difficult to know how to preserve them. In Motherboard, Victoria Mapplebeck, formerly a freelance TV director, has found the solution and turned the camera on her life. She has simultaneously transformed her smartphone footage, taken over decades, and crafted a captivating film centring on her relationship with her son. The result is an authentic, raw examination of the life of a struggling artist, with a female gaze, combined with the reality of single motherhood.
Inevitably, there may be comparisons to the fictional film Nightbitch, starring Amy Adams, which also depicts the behind the scenes, day to day difficulties alongside the joyful moments, for a stay at home mother. Both accounts within these films are dryly humorous but, are united in their honesty of creative women having to abandon their careers as the toils of motherhood take over. It is refreshing having these films offering these previously unspoken perspectives and revelling in the messiness of their lives.
One key difference however, is that Mapplebeck’s vision is not based on a fictional story and she is navigating the journey alone. We are taken through the early moments of her journey with an ultrasound scan and voiceover comments between herself and her son, Jim, in reaction to the images. Indeed, Mapplebeck’s situation may be relatable to many women in their late 30s encountering motherhood whilst attempting to maintain a semblance of a career. Unfortunately, many workplaces, to this day, may not have supportive flexible work schemes for mothers, such as job shares, in place and certainly the demands of being a freelance director could not align with Mapplebeck’s responsibilities for her child. Hopefully, films such as Motherboard will highlight the conundrum faced by many working mothers who may be reliant on the availability of nearby crèche facilities.
Motherboard presents a non-linear journey for both Mapplebeck and Jim as they navigate life’s dynamics. The footage provides that opportunity for Mapplebeck to direct as she charts the highs and lows of their lives with a stark intimacy, which may feel voyeuristic, but this immersive approach also proves to be endearing.
Impressively, Mapplebeck has shot, directed and edited this film. At times, the editing is sleek with smooth transitions and match shots but in other scenes there is that unpolished feel of a home video with jerky movements. All of which produces a personal, heartfelt sensation to Motherboard. The film is emotive, there are no static interviews and instead there are extracts played from voicemails such as those revealing the initial reaction of Jim’s absent father to her pregnancy and Mapplebeck’s humiliation felt by his subsequent request for a DNA test. Equally, other poignant moments are captured on camera unfiltered which emphasise this documentary’s feat and Mapplebeck’s conviction to this project.
Motherboard also provides insights into Mapplebeck’s relationship with her own parents as we discover that history certainly repeats itself. Yet, whilst the film does not delve into the financial difficulties that Mapplebeck may have faced in bringing up Jim alone, there are glimpses of tension between their mother-son bond interspersed with moments of joy which illustrate the film’s refusal to portray Hallmark moments.
The film is also a journey through technology, and perhaps the title hints at this, too. Mapplebeck had initially been using an old DVCAM for shooting prior to utilising smartphones over five generations ranging from the iPhone 6 to the iPhone15. Different aspect ratios are therefore evident, which also provide that relatable snapshot of family life from cradle to graduation. Mapplebeck’s decision to film using smartphones may re-ignite that debate over the quality of such cameras as opposed to using traditional filming and established digital methods. In Motherboard, however, Mapplebeck’s use of the smartphones seems to convey that intimacy that may be lacking in other personal, documentary projects.
Mapplebeck must therefore be celebrated in capturing all of this footage and for presenting this no holds barred, intricate self-portrait. Motherboard is a compelling, realistic examination of the continuous tension and joy within motherhood that will undoubtedly inspire many women.
