11/12/2024 - The Slovak filmmaker has wrapped shooting on his upcoming movie told from the perspective of an adult daughter who is being manipulated by her domineering mother

Slovak documentarian-turned-fiction-filmmaker Marko Škop is shooting the third instalment in his trilogy about parents and children, the psychological drama Anna. The previous two movies in the trilogy, Eva Nová [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marko Škop
film profile] and Let There Be Light [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Marko Škop
interview: Milan Ondrík
film profile], had been critically lauded: Eva Nová garnered the FIPRESCI Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival, while Let There Be Light earned multiple accolades, including a Special Mention from the ecumenical jury at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, among other prizes.

The film follows Anna, a neurologist in her thirties, who cohabitates with her domineering and manipulative mother. This living arrangement perpetuates a cycle of psychological control, hindering Anna's ability to form genuine connections. Anna is seeking a steady foundation in her relationships but unknowingly repeats the manipulative patterns learned from her mother. She becomes obsessively fixated on an ALS patient and his wife Mariana, using their dependence to fulfil her own need for purpose and control. When Mariana uncovers Anna’s hidden selfishness behind her caregiving, it forces the protagonist to confront her broken identity, leading to a journey of self-rebuilding inspired by forgiveness and the need to sever her toxic family ties.

Škop probes the underexamined subject of mother-daughter toxicity and its manifestation in maternal relationships. In the director’s words, the story aims to reveal the “wounds of individuals unable to experience self-love or offer love to others”, presenting their inner turmoil and social struggles. “The universal reach of their intimate story lies in uncovering the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, where a lack of love leaves space for evil. This evil spreads not only among those closest to us, but also in wider society,” the director explains. The film stars Jana Kovalčiková (Shoky & Morthy: Last Big Thing – see the news) in the title role, while the cast also features Ingrid Timková (Let There Be Light) as the protagonist’s mother, Petra, and Rebeka Poláková (Nobody Likes Me [+see also:
film review
film profile]) in the role of Mariana, the wife of the terminally ill Ján, who is played by Škop regular Milan Ondrík.

Slovak DoP Ján Meliš, who lensed Eva Nová and Let There Be Light, also lensed Anna, while the movie’s visual language will make use of Slovak townscapes and clinical interiors, aiming for a realism that underscores the emotional weight of the drama. The director revealed that the visual style of the film employs a dynamic colour palette – using warm tones like red, yellow and orange to reflect the protagonist's moments of control and fulfilment, and cooler, blue shades during her emotional fragility – paired with shallow depth of field to emphasise her internal experiences. Filming took place from mid-October to the end of November. Czech producer Alice Tabery, of Cinepoint, confirmed to Cineuropa that the rough cut of the film is expected by February 2025, with the final cut anticipated in May, while the completed film is scheduled for autumn.

Anna is being produced by Artileria and Cinepoint, and co-produced by Slovak Radio and Television. The Slovak Audiovisual Fund and the Czech Film Fund have supported the film, which does not yet have a sales agent attached.