Mothers and motherhood have a rich history in cinema within the horror genre. Think “Psycho,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Carrie,” “Mommie Dearest,” or even more modern versions like Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” and Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mother.” There have always been international versions of this story too. Still, the upcoming horror “Umma” is a slightly different angle on this well-trodden tale of the horrors and difficulties of motherhood.
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Written and directed by Iris K. Shim, “Umma,” the Korean word for mother, is produced by horror maestro Sam Raimi and seemingly uses Korean-American culture and stories and repackages it for American audiences through a horror lens. It’s about a Korean immigrant and her daughter who live on a rural farm, raising bees and living without modern technology. When the mother receives the cremated ashes of her estranged mother, it unleashes a vicious spirit intent on taking her body for itself.
Produced by Raimi and Zainab Azizi, ”Umma” stars Sandra Oh, Fivel Stewart, MeeWha Alana Lee, Tom Yi, with Odeya Rush and Dermot Mulroney. Here’s the official synopsis:
Umma, which is the Korean word for “mother,” follows Amanda (Sandra Oh) and her daughter (Fivel Stewart) living a quiet life on an American farm, but when the remains of her estranged mother arrive from Korea, Amanda becomes haunted by the fear of turning into her own mother.
“Umma” premieres exclusively in movie theaters on March 18, 2022, via Sony Pictures. Watch the first trailer below.
