What if the very idea of family was illegal? What if raising your own child meant defying the state? These are the unsettling questions at the heart of Motherland, a powerful new thriller making its mark at the 2025 Julien Dubuque International Film Festival (JDIFF). Directed by Evan Matthews, Motherland offers an emotional and provocative journey through an alternate-present society where parenthood has been outlawed, and one woman dares to ask why.
The story centers on Cora, a high-ranking government official known as a “scorekeeper,” responsible for maintaining a system that separates children from their biological parents. But when a life-altering discovery challenges everything she thought she believed, Cora must decide whether to follow the rules or her conscience. “At its core, this film is about love, loss, and reclaiming your humanity,” Matthews says. “It asks what happens when we stop asking questions and start blindly obeying.”
For audiences unfamiliar with Matthews’ work, Motherland represents the culmination of years of world-building and intimate character-driven storytelling. It’s also his debut feature film—an ambitious leap that delivers both scale and soul. Shot with a sharp visual style and grounded performances, the film is as visually striking as it is emotionally resonant.
The idea originated with screenwriter Nicole Roewe (née Swinford), who took inspiration from a real post-Bolshevik Russian experiment that attempted to raise children communally. It failed after ten years, but Roewe imagined a scenario where the idea endured and evolved in America. That question became the foundation for Motherland, and it was a story Matthews immediately connected to.
“This was the first feature I directed that I didn’t write, so the script had to resonate deeply with me,” he says. “And it did. The themes—infertility, loss, betrayal, the emotional weight of parenthood—all reflected personal experiences from my life and my wife’s. I felt ready to be the one to guide this story to the screen.”
The cast of Motherland is a striking combination of veteran talent and fresh discovery. Miriam Silverman, coming off a Tony Award win, leads as Cora. “She has this incredible emotional range and brought so much authenticity to the role,” Matthews says. “Her performance gave us so much to work with in every scene.”
Joining her is Holland Taylor, whose decades of acclaimed work brought poise and command to the role of Toni. Néstor Carbonell, best known for his performances on television and in feature films, plays Mateo. Matthews describes him as a grounding force on set, both as an actor and as a collaborator. “He gave Mateo a depth and evolution that was incredibly rewarding to watch unfold.”
Rounding out the main cast is Emily Arancio, a newcomer whose audition caught Matthews’ attention during an expanded casting search in the middle of the Hollywood strikes. “Her performance stood out immediately,” he says. “Even after watching every tape again, hers was the one that lingered. Once we cast her screen parents, the whole dynamic clicked. She was an absolute revelation.”
Directing a mix of veteran performers and fresh talent was a masterclass in trust and collaboration. Matthews says the key was honest rehearsals and open communication. “We built a strong foundation early. I learned how to meet each actor where they were and guide the performances without overstepping,” he says.
One of the most memorable moments during production came during a night shoot in upstate New York. A frozen rooftop forced the crew to shut down just as they were preparing to shoot a critical scene. The team quickly adjusted, filming across several different locations and modifying the sequence on the fly. The results exceeded expectations.
“It was the kind of moment you hear about in film school but rarely get to experience firsthand,” Matthews says. “Thanks to our editor Josie Azzam, who was cutting together footage daily, we were able to see that the scene worked, and in some ways, worked even better than originally planned. What could have been a disaster ended up being a defining creative moment.”
Emotionally, the film’s midpoint delivered one of the most rewarding scenes for Matthews as a storyteller. In a quiet exchange between Cora and another character named Zinnia, layers of Cora’s internal struggle come to light. The scene is subtle but pivotal, revealing not only her personal doubts but also foreshadowing her transformation later in the story.
“That scene still gets me,” Matthews says. “It reminds me why we make movies. When a moment hits that balance of emotional truth, performance, and storytelling, there’s nothing like it. You feel the payoff in your bones.”
Motherland is Matthews’ first project to screen in Iowa, and he’s looking forward to connecting with audiences at JDIFF. He does have regional ties as his editor Josie Azzam is based in Nebraska, and the film recently received an honorable mention for Best Feature at a festival in Omaha. The film’s production company, MPI Original Films, also had its previous feature Pinball screened at JDIFF, creating a meaningful continuity between projects.
“The Julien Dubuque International Film Festival is known for being incredibly filmmaker-friendly,” Matthews says. “It’s well curated, highly respected, and the audiences are passionate. As a filmmaker, that’s all you can hope for. To share your work with people who are truly engaged and want to talk about the ideas your film explores.”
He hopes Motherland sparks conversation. “What would you do if this was your world? How far would you go to reclaim your autonomy, your family, your identity? We want people to walk away thinking about those questions, maybe seeing themselves in one of the characters, and having something to say afterward. The beauty of storytelling is that it’s personal. Everyone takes away something different.”
With its provocative themes, gripping narrative, and standout performances, Motherland is poised to be one of the most talked-about features at JDIFF 2025. Director Evan Matthews will be in attendance, offering audiences the opportunity to engage directly with the creative force behind the film. Festivalgoers can expect a powerful cinematic experience that challenges assumptions and sparks meaningful conversation long after the credits roll.
Follow Motherland on Instagram at @motherlandmovie, director Evan Matthews at @evanbmatthews, and production company MPI Original Films at @movingpictureinstitute.
