Mother Vera won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the London Film Festival 2024. Mother Vera (directed by Alys Tomlinson & Cécile Embleton) is a feature length documentary film, focussing on the life of Orthodox nun Vera, whose powerful portrait is central to the Ex-Voto series.
The short film was first shown at the Rencontres d’Arles 2019 as part of the New Discovery Award. The final version was supported by the Sundance Institute Documentary Fund.
In a hidden Orthodox monastery in Belarus, Mother Vera weaves the inner world of an unorthodox young nun with the community that saved her life. After 20 years as a monastic, Vera faces deep inner conflict. Now, she must confront her past and trust her instincts to find the liberation she desires.
The film was released in the UK in August 2025. See here for screening venues and dates: https://www.motherverafilm.co.uk/
