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Tucked away in the mountains of Chiapas lives a remarkable woman named Hilda. With care and resilience, she raised two boys on her own in a small Tzotzil community. Years later, her son Xun returns with his camera, seeking a deeper understanding of the struggles she faced and the strength she possesses.

Xun’s new documentary Mamá shines a light on Hilda’s little-told story. Through intimate conversations between mother and son, we learn of the hardships she endured from a young age. Promised in marriage at only nine, she rebelled as a teen and gave birth out of wedlock, facing deep stigma. Limited opportunities left indigenous women vulnerable.

Yet despite the hardships, Hilda has built a life of dignity through perseverance. She worked to support her family however possible. While traditional gender roles confined many to the home, Hilda now advocates for women’s health in her rural areas.

Director Xun Sero grew up fatherless and resentful. As his mother opens up about her troubled life, he must face his own role

In a culture where discussion of family trauma and gender-based abuse are still considered taboo, Xun Sero’s frank, intimate documentary seeks to find a common ground in a community fractured by precariousness and violence. Staying close to the film-maker’s mother, Hilda, Sero’s camera not only observes exteriors but also looks inward; this is a film of dialogue and self-interrogation.

Growing up in the Indigenous Tzotzil community in Mexico, from the age of nine Hilda was already promised as a wife to an older man. Her one act of rebellion as a teenager resulted in the birth of Sero, a source of shame for mother and son. During his childhood, Sero’s resentment towards his absent father was often directed at his mother, resulting in bitter accusations.

81 more titles have been added to the festival programme.

Bella Ciao, a documentary about the anthem that symbolized the Italian partisans’ fight against facism in the Second World War, is one of 81 new titles added to the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) programme.

Directed by Giulia Giapponesi, Bella Ciao will have its international premiere at IDFA, having first played at Italy’s Bari International Film Festival in March.

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Adapted from Italian folk tune ‘Mondine’, the song ‘Bella Ciao’ has experienced a resurgence in popularity in recent weeks, partly as a show of...